electronic commerce
Electronic commerce, with growth figures every year despite the crisis, is one of the big factors that has already changed modern logistics and will continue to do so for years to come. The logistics sector, which in recent years has made a great effort to achieve guaranteed delivery times to final consumers of just one or two days, is now forced to pursue even more demanding targets, with delivery times within the same day. and even just a few hours after placing the order. A scenario that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago is expected to be the norm within 10 years.
This will make it necessary to have more storage space, or to resort to metal racks designed to expand space, such as mezzanines or mezzanines and raised aisles. And even greater demands will be imposed on the efficiency of handling operations, through the automation of warehouses, the optimization of picking tasks and the implementation of new technologies applied to storage systems.
The Internet of the physical
The Physical Internet (PI) is an initiative that is already being investigated in Europe, the United States and Canada. Using the Internet network that we all know and in which digital information is handled as a model, the aim is to transfer the same concept to a network of physical merchandise. As in the Internet, an open platform will be created based on standards and protocols, and which will allow the optimization of resources and logistics costs. This will implement, for example, a standard for containers, which allows them to be used as Physical Internet packets (similar to Internet data packets), and supported by new traceability technologies, such as Smart Tags.
With this approach, it is estimated to reduce global logistics costs by around 30%, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 60%.
The economic potential of the logistics sector
The logistics sector, comprising the entire supply chain, from transportation to internal logistics and metal racking systems for warehouses, is one of the sectors that has the greatest impact on a country’s economy. In the United States alone, it is estimated that 10% of the new jobs created in the coming years will correspond to logistics and maintenance. This growth potential is being taken into account by all countries with a vision of the future. And in countries like Spain, attempts are being made to move in that direction with initiatives such as the new Law on the logistics sector.
ATOX Storage Systems, leader in the manufacture of high-quality metal racking, has a wide range of industrial racking solutions that allow optimization of internal logistics operations, both in palletizing tasks through automated warehouses, dynamic pallet racking and push pallet racking. back, as in picking tasks, using live pick shelves and miniload picking, and research and development of new systems to speed up maintenance tasks, which allow warehouses to adapt to new trends and market demands with a view to the future.