Emerging Technologies in Global Supply Chains

Outline & Content

• Emerging Technologies
– Digitization
– Big data & Virtual Analytics
– Blockchain
– 3d printing
– Artificial Intelligence
– Autonomous vehicle

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 Introduction
• World is at the frontier of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
• Technology—e.g., mobile supercomputing, artificial
intelligence, robots, and autonomous vehicles—
changes at an ever increasing pace, and transforms
societies.
• Internet of things (IoT), analytics and data science will
improve operational excellence, cost savings, customer
satisfaction, visibility and reducing the communication
gap in SCM.
• In near future, adoption of Big Data Analytics in SCM
and ensuring data security will be the future trend.
• With Additive Manufacturing, manufacturing may move
from central factories to individual households

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 Emerging Technologies in Supply Chains

• Digitization
• Big data & Virtual Analytics
• Blockchain
• 3d printing
• Artificial Intelligence/Autonomous vehicles

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 Supply chain digitization

• Digitization is the process of converting

information into a digital format.
• Technological novelties and personal gadgets
change the way how societies access and
exchange information.
• Digitalization offers many positive
influences in the logistics and SCM.
• Digitization improves the speed, dynamics and
resilience of the supply chain operations.
• To reap the full benefits of digitalization,
companies must fundamentally redesign their
supply chain strategy.

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 Supply chain digitization

• IoT refers to a system of interrelated computing

devices allowing transfer of data over networks
without human input.
• It helps companies to monitor inventory, manage
warehouse stock, optimize fleet routes

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 Supply chain digitization

• Small- and medium-sized enterprises in particular are

still cautious about digitization.
• High investment costs but also the follow-up costs for
data maintenance, the data security, and the
development of the IT competence of the
employees.
• But, it help to increase efficiency, delivery reliability,
supply chain transparency, predictability, and
flexibility.

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 Big data & Virtual Analytics
• Data-driven decision-making has been prevalent for
more than three decades.
• Amount of available data has rapidly grown in recent
years as a result of the globalization.
• Analytics is needed to understand trends and draw
meaningful inferences from big data, intending to
improve business performance.

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 Big data & Virtual Analytics
• Can look at data in a
virtual reality or augmented
reality environment.
• Viewing and interacting
with data enables users to understand and visually
manipulate business analytics in new ways.
• In near future, you can reach out and touch data, move it,
run scenarios, and make decisions in a collaborative
environment.
• This can have substantial opportunities for supply chain
managers to drive efficiencies

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Blockchain to bring supply chain efficiencies
• Blockchain is a distributed, digital ledger.
• Every transaction is recorded on a block and across
multiple copies of the ledger that are distributed
over many nodes (computers).
• It is highly transparent

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 Blockchain to bring supply chain efficiencies
• Blockchain can positively impact everything from
warehousing to delivery to payment.
• Blockchain is suitable for Supply Chain industry such
as complicated record keeping and tracking of
products.
• It helps to make smarter and more efficient supply
chains.

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 Blockchain to bring supply chain efficiencies

• Everyone on the blockchain can see the chain of

ownership for an asset on the blockchain.
• Records on the blockchain cannot be erased
which is important for a transparent supply chain.
• Transfer of funds anywhere in the world without
the use of a traditional bank - convenient for a
globalized supply chain.

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 Blockchain to bring supply chain efficiencies
• In a blockchain-based supply chain management,
record keeping and provenance tracking become
easy.
• Product information can be accessed through the
help of embedded sensors and RFID tags.
• Accurate provenance tracking can be used to
detect frauds in any part of the supply chain

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 Blockchain to bring supply chain efficiencies
• The current seafood supply chain has tedious
processes like manual record keeping that make it
more prone to errors.
• Result in making the seafood supply chain
inefficient.
• Improper food storage conditions, mislabelling
frauds and prevalence of unregulated practices.
• Different type of frauds involved in the chain, the
trust between the customers and vendors remain
lacking

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 Blockchain to bring supply chain efficiencies
• For automotive suppliers, blockchain can be used
to protect their brands from duplicate products.
• Counterfeit medicines are becoming increasingly
troublesome as the global black

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Implications of 3d printing for future supply chains
• Additive Manufacturing (AM) is rapidly gaining
interest as a highly innovative manufacturing
technology.
• Advantages include the ability to produce very
complex structures that are relatively easily
customized to specific user requirements.
• Spare parts sector as one of the first areas to be
disrupted by the proliferation of 3D printing.
• Unused stock of spares builds inefficiency into the
supply chain.

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Implications of 3d printing for future supply chains
• With 3D printing, companies may no longer need to
store spare parts physically.
• Instead, parts can be printed on demand, where
required, and rapidly delivered.
• AM may appear as an expensive process, but when
we consider at supply chain level, there are
significant benefits.
• Benefits in terms of
– inventory reduction, reduction in capital investments, less
transportation, shorter lead

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Implications of 3d printing for future supply chains
• Logistics providers could support companies in
creating a network of 3D printers.
• The virtual print files of spare parts would be
securely stored in software databases - “virtual
warehouse”.
• When a part is required, users can simply search
for the right part and send the file to the nearest
3D printer

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Implications of 3d printing for future supply chains
• Mercedes-Benz Trucks, allow customers to 3D print
more than 30 different spare parts for cargo trucks.
• Customers no longer have to face a lengthy wait for
original factory spare parts to be delivered.
• Instead, they can have the part printed at the nearest
facility and delivered in less time.
• Another idea is manufacturing individualized parts
not in a manufacturing facility but in a moving
vehicle.

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 Implications of 3d printing for future supply chains

• Amazon has filed a patent for

a truck fitted with 3D printers,
for manufacturing products
on the way to a customer
destination.

• This facilitates to produce parts very close

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 Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous vehicles

•Advanced AI solutions have numerous applications in the

supply chain, especially the warehousing.
• It also includes autonomous vehicles (self-driving
vehicles), designed to navigate without human input.
• Amazon introduced AI in their

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 Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous vehicles

• The concept of robotics and automation is also widely

implemented in the supply chain.
• The latest generations of robots are easier to program,
more flexible and affordable.
• Role is to assist workers with repetitive and physically
challenging tasks.
• Eg. Toyota warehouse management concept

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 Summary

• Supply chain management is changing rapidly.

• For growing businesses, the key is to recognize these big
trends and consider the ones which can feasibly implement.
• As the supply chain becomes more digitized,
– need trained data scientists who are well versed in SCM,
– advanced business intelligence tools, to help you make decisions.
• Time to find cheaper automation solutions.
• These disruptive technologies can reduce labor costs and
make your supply chain more efficient and profitable

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