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Nouvelles

Northern Logistic

Development in a northern environment implies notions of distance, isolation, inventory volume, storage, handling, supply, and transportation adapted to the northern environment.

 

All these particularities give a special status to a supply dynamic that we have identified here as “Nordic Logistics”.

In our case, this is similar to the northern environment. However, this logistics model can be similar to any isolated environment that relies on a very limited number of supply modes and that suffers from climatic or seasonal constraints that limit the frequency and volume of deliveries.

The most important feature of “Nordic Logistics” is that it is predictive.

 

All aspects of this must be planned well in advance, in terms of requirements as well as transportation, handling and storage. This is the antithesis of “just in time”. Everything must be planned for needs that can last for a year. The requirements must be anticipated in a balanced way and also intuitively.

 

It is necessary to foresee breakages, special events, the “Nordic Logistics” is largely based on years of experience and a strong intuitiveness.

 

With the retirement of our Baby Boomers and a certain shortage of manpower, the logistics operators have less experience in this field. The risks of errors are becoming more frequent and more costly. Technology will play an increasing role in this field of expertise by acting as a safeguard against errors and omissions and by creating a digital trail of historical and statistical predictive data collected by various digital means.

Thus, digital sensors can provide information on the life expectancy of mechanical components, geographical, climatic and social data can be combined with the availability of suppliers, carriers, handlers and others to create the most opportune time for supply or inventory movements.

“Nordic Logistics” also has the property to manage personnel movements. Nordic operations are known for integrating the transport of personnel and cargo in the same aircraft (combi plane).

This type of logistics requires priority management and an analytical mindset that allows for optimization both in terms of volume and the risk of operations shutdown. The contribution of digital data and decision-making and analysis tools are risk and cost reduction factors.

Inventories tracking and instantaneous location with radio frequency detection is a tool for optimizing inventories on hand and for planning imminent needs. In a context of supply difficulties, the traceability of inventories in movement and stored is a major issue.  The implementation of intelligent supply chains represents a logical and digital tool that can reduce costs and unnecessary downtime.

The preparation of cargo loads by 3D modeling is an approach to optimization and efficiency. The contribution of radio frequency allows the localization of urgent goods in voluminous loads.  This technology is emerging (Voir « https://www.easycargo3d.com/fr/blog/which-is-the-best-load-planning-application/ »). However, it must be adapted to regional environments, to the diversity of formats and to become affordable.

 

The upcoming arrival of autonomous vehicles and equipment highlights technologies that will have an impact on global logistics. Autonomous equipment does not necessarily replace humans, but it does make them more accountable. These innovations will require increased vigilance and instantaneous logistical follow-ups.

Nordic logistics has the particularity to work in a context where mistakes are expensive. The huge costs of the Nordic context, the huge delivery times between the supplier and the end user have an impact on the productivity and profitability of Nordic projects. Logistics is the main element that will tip the balance between profitability and financial disaster.

For companies and communities, citizens of isolated territories, the “Nordic Logistics” represents a tool for economic sustainability. In this sector, digital technology becomes essential to support the human in the accomplishment of intuitive and predictive tasks.

 

Jean-Yves Poitras, industrial commissionner