{"id":142416,"date":"2023-02-28T10:55:09","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T09:55:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/?p=142416"},"modified":"2023-02-28T11:20:23","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T10:20:23","slug":"automisation-digitisation-and-decarbonisation-logistics-businesss-peter-macleod-on-what-is-ahead-for-the-logistics-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/blog\/automisation-digitisation-and-decarbonisation-logistics-businesss-peter-macleod-on-what-is-ahead-for-the-logistics-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Automisation, digitisation and decarbonisation: Logistics Business\u2019s Peter MacLeod on what is ahead for the logistics sector"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018Our readers are looking at ways to improve the way they run their businesses, so are interested in the technologies and strategies used by their peers,\u2019 says Logistics Business<\/a> editor Peter MacLeod<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Covering subjects at the top of the agenda in logistics right now – the labour shortage, how to counteract high energy prices<\/a>, and meeting environmental targets<\/a> \u2013 Peter and his team are focused on keeping the sector informed of any potential trouble ahead and helping them to move forward:<\/p>\n

\u2018Improving the bottom line is always top of the list for the logistics field, so anything that optimises their operations \u2013 whether that\u2019s increasing automation levels or finding smarter ways to better utilise available space or reducing vehicle movements \u2013 is of interest to them\u2019.<\/p>\n

Read on for trends you need to be aware of when planning logistics-related campaigns and how you can work with Logistics Business.<\/p>\n

How has the logistics sector changed since you\u2019ve been covering it?<\/h3>\n

\"PeterWhen I first started writing about logistics in the early noughties, the warehousing sector was dominated by the forklift truck and racking manufacturers. The majority of operations were performed manually – automated fulfilment systems were only really aimed at high-volume retailers. The advent of ecommerce changed everything, with the big warehouses that were previously configured to send pallets of goods to retail stores having to reshape their operations to satisfy the demands of individual consumers. This is where automation really took off, giving birth to a sub-sector called intralogistics \u2013 the technology of warehouse fulfilment. Believe me, there\u2019s considerably more complexity required in a warehouse sending a single item to a single recipient than one sending a pallet of identical boxes to a supermarket.<\/p>\n

How do you see the impact of supply chain issues evolving over the next few years in the UK and beyond?<\/h3>\n

Logistics businesses have been knocked by a series of situations beyond their immediate control \u2013 the ash cloud, the ship blocking the Suez Canal\u2026 as well as those issues affecting all sectors, such as the war in Ukraine and the shortage of chips (no, not those chips!). That has led them to invest in ways to increase their resilience to these factors, including deploying automated and robotic solutions with greater flexibility. Among the most popular strategies is to look at the supply chain from end-to-end rather than its individual functions, with a rush to digitisation offering unprecedented insight using previous trends as a model for coping with future disruption.<\/p>\n

What are the other big trends for the logistics sector this year?<\/h3>\n

The aforementioned challenges are driving businesses to be increasingly sophisticated in supply chain planning. Another area where vast gains can still be made is the last mile \u2013 the incredibly vital link between the supplier\u2019s depot and the consumer\u2019s front door. There are huge challenges here, and a more collaborative approach in this area is certainly on the cards \u2013 surely we\u2019ve all seen rival courier vehicles running up and down the same streets at the same time? Soon, we\u2019ll be saying \u2018What were we thinking?\u2019. And, of course, there\u2019s a huge drive towards decarbonisation driven both by upcoming legislation and consumer demands.<\/p>\n

Are logistics companies doing enough to incorporate net zero goals into their planning, in your opinion?<\/h3>\n

Any business ignoring the impact they make on the environment will soon be driven out of business, so the simple answer has to be \u2018yes\u2019. However, logistics is a really difficult sector, as it is heavily reliant on transportation such as shipping and HGVs. Many in the sector have pledged to reach net zero ahead of legislative targets, but many others are unable to make significant progress due to infrastructural restrictions.<\/p>\n

For example, a central European delivery company has just ordered a huge fleet of diesel lorries because the majority of its country\u2019s electricity is generated by burning coal, and so it figured it would use more carbon to go electric.<\/p>\n

What information from PRs is useful for the magazine and the website, and how would you prefer they get in touch?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s always a challenge for PRs to give every editor what they want when they want it<\/a> in the way they want it! I am not alone in spending a good part of the day going through emails, some of which are nothing to do with logistics, and it\u2019s sometimes hard to pick out what\u2019s relevant and what isn\u2019t \u2013 nearly everything is now described using terms such as \u2018leading\u2019, \u2018game-changing\u2019 or \u2018unique\u2019!<\/p>\n

For the magazine, I\u2019m looking first and foremost for something exclusive to us that will offer readers genuine insight, and which is not just a plug for a particular product or service. It\u2019s a pleasant \u2013 but increasingly rare \u2013 surprise when my phone rings and a PR is pitching an idea to me, wanting to learn more about the audience, wordcount, deadline, imagery, etc. Of course, the magazine is restricted in size by its physical proportions, so we will always give priority to those companies who are willing to engage with us commercially \u2013 we offer an incredible amount of options to suit every marketing budget \u2013 but if an article is strong enough to stand up on its own, then let\u2019s talk.<\/p>\n

What do PRs need to know about the logistics industry that is unique to the sector \u2013 does it have big differences to other industries?<\/h3>\n

I think the same values apply to all industries \u2013 businesses want to know how they can be more profitable, how they can attract and retain staff, how they can reduce their environmental impact, and how they can gain an edge on their competitors. With logistics, the challenges are sometimes a bit more complex, as they seem more susceptible to disruption from geopolitical influences as well as changing consumer habits. I believe the logistics media plays a part in helping them keep abreast of these challenges and helping them stay competitive.<\/p>\n

How far ahead do you plan content?<\/h3>\n

I come from the good old days of magazine publishing, when a monthly magazine would have pages and pages of news. Today, if it\u2019s news, it goes up on the website. Being a quarterly publication, I effectively have up to three months to plan each edition; in reality, with all the other activities I\u2019m involved with such as podcasts and webinars, the window is much narrower. Every issue we cover all aspects relevant to our sector, and therefore do not publish an editorial calendar<\/a>. If there is a customer referenced in an article, then it can often take a while to get their approval, which shreds the nerves around deadline time.<\/p>\n

You also co-host the Last Mile Prophets<\/a> podcast with Marek R\u00f3\u017cycki \u2013 what extra subjects does the podcast give you the space to cover that Logistics Business Magazine perhaps doesn\u2019t?<\/h3>\n

Logistics Business and Last Mile Prophets are two unconnected, separate entities. I am a freelancer, so treat them both as valued clients. Last Mile Prophets is a venture where Marek and I chat about the challenges faced by parcel carriers in fulfilling the last leg of the delivery chain. Readers of Logistics Business are not too interested in delivery lockers at the end of your street, whereas Last Mile Prophet listeners don\u2019t much care for fork lift trucks! It\u2019s great fun – Marek and I have good chemistry, and we are building a good following so far. We both feel there is more to come from this brand than a podcast or webinar, so we could be moving into very interesting places in the future.<\/p>\n

Which logistics brands are doing a good job when it comes to sustainability and environmental considerations?<\/h3>\n

I am loath to name specific companies, as some are much better at shouting about their success in this area than others. But there are certain businesses where you totally believe that environmental issues are taken into account with every step they take, whereas with others it seems like tokenism or a last-minute addition \u2013 almost as though someone in marketing has barged into the boardroom and said, \u2018Oh, and where\u2019s the green angle here?\u2019<\/p>\n

Find out more about Peter MacLeod and Logistics Business on the Vuelio Media Database<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Want more from the logistics industry? Read our interview with Logistics UK\u2019s Matt Harrington here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this interview, Logistics Business’ Peter MacLeod shares trends UK PRs need to be aware of when planning logistics-related campaigns and how you can work with him and his team. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":423,"featured_media":142418,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7365,3532],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142416"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/423"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142416"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142416\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":142422,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142416\/revisions\/142422"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}