“The pace of innovation in the supply chain during the six years of our survey is truly amazing, creating a real and measurable competitive advantage for users. As the complexity of the supply chain shows no signs of slowing, the risk of inaction continues to grow. Leading supply chain and production executives agree that technology is the key to future success. – George Perst, CEO of MHI.

In the six years that MHI and Deloitte have been conducting this incredible research – the MHI Annual Industry Report – on disruptive innovations in the supply chain, one thing has become very clear: The era of the digital supply chain is here.

Digital technologies and innovations continue to fuel growing customer expectations for constantly improving and faster service, creating relentless pressure for supply chains to perform flawlessly, efficiently and transparently. Only a digital supply chain that is agile, fully automated and self-learning will be able to meet these demands, compete and prosper in the future.

Raise digital supply chain awareness.

In this link you can download the free 2017 MHI Annual Industry Report-Next-Generation Supply Chains: Digital, On-Demand, and Always Connected and at the end of this article you will find the 2018 MHI Annual Industry Report-Bridging the Barriers to Supply Chain Innovation from NextGen and the latest 2019 MHI Annual Industry Report-Raising the Digital Awareness of the Supply Chain, which we will continue to discuss below.

Digital labor shortages.

A common problem over the years has been supply chain labor shortages and the growing need for digital skills. Companies continue to be severely hampered in their ability to implement digital technologies because of the shortage of workers with the necessary skills to execute them.

By focusing on developing talent and leveraging tools such as automation, robotics, cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), data analysis, intelligent learning and augmented reality, a comprehensive supply chain solution can be created that is adaptable, transparent and smarter than ever before. Leading companies are not only recognizing and embracing this new digital reality, but are elevating their mindset from a simple state of “awareness” to a state of “acute awareness,” a mindset that helps them identify and implement the fundamental changes needed to harness the digital elements, the opportunities driven to reduce costs, anticipate and manage risk, and create a fully customer-centric experience.

Embracing the digital supply chain mindset opens the door to greater performance and success by helping the organization leverage the latest digital technologies to inspire and drive experimentation, creativity and innovation.

New technologies for the NextGen.

The upcoming third edition of the U.S. Materials Handling and Logistics Roadmap, to be launched in the spring of 2020, will take a futuristic look at the economic and technological trends expected to affect the supply chain over the next 15 years. This report focuses on the 3-5 year outlook for the following key technologies in the current roadmap.

Technologies that drive next-generation supply chains (NextGen).

Inventory and Network Optimization Tools • Sensors and Auto-ID • Cloud Computing and Storage • Robotics and Automation • Predictive Analytics • Portable and Mobile Technology • 3D Printing • Driverless Vehicles and Drones • Internet of Things • Blockchain • Artificial Intelligence

The emergence of digital supply chain awareness.

This new 2019 MHI Annual Industry Report introduces the concept of “Digital Supply Chain Awareness” to describe the increasing levels of digital awareness and maturity in supply chain operations. The aim is to help companies identify where they are on the journey towards a digital supply chain and then chart a clearer path to where they need to go.

The Digital Supply Chain Awareness framework allows companies to assess themselves in five digital categories and four levels of awareness that will be covered in this report.

According to this year’s survey results, progress and interest in NextGen’s supply chain innovations have never been higher or more promising. In particular, artificial intelligence saw a quantum leap in potential impact.

Modifying the organization’s DNA and greater investment.

Embracing these important innovations and raising digital awareness of the supply chain is essential to compete effectively in an increasingly digital economy. However, the challenge is very complex and may require significant organizational change, along with increased investment.

Today, even the most successful companies still struggle to understand how and when to adopt digital supply chain innovations. Delaying digital supply chain innovation can have disastrous consequences in this increasingly digital world, so it is important to start small, act quickly, learn from setbacks and build on successes along the way.

This report provides practical information on how and where to start. It also offers a framework to help companies identify where they are on the road to digital adoption in the supply chain and provides tips and real-world examples to help them move forward more effectively.

Enjoy this great report from MHI & Deloitte!

Download the report “MHI Annual Industry Report” here: