For multi-national organisations, the concept of autonomous, country- or region-specific supply chains is becoming dated and inefficient. Yet while the centralisation of supply chain operations delivers tangible value, the lack of automation within loading and unloading is constraining the creation of a globally consistent operating model, explains Wouter Satijn…

Global Business Services

As global organisations drive continuous improvement and automation, the value of creating a consistent, repeatable model across every region, every country, every site is becoming increasingly clear. Centralised IT, HR and finance operations are well established, with the latest Global Business Services (GBS) Survey from Deloitte confirming approximately 50% of organisations achieved over 20% savings from their GBS. Effective governance and digital technologies were named as key elements in driving this value realisation.

A GBS also provides a strong foundation for innovation and wider, multi-national business partnerships. There is an increasing focus on supply chain and logistics operations to embed robust and trusted processes throughout the logistics service to create a far more stable business model. Indeed, with the current geopolitical uncertainty, such deep, trusted, global partnerships offer a huge commercial advantage, with organisations able to work together to respond to and manage unexpected disruption.

Focus on Loading

The ease with which a multi-national can embed the supply chain within a GBS will, of course, vary. Many organisations have leveraged automation in recent years to create consistencies, especially across the production side of operations. However, one area that remains highly manual is loading and unloading, creating not only inconsistency but also uncertainty that is at odds with the goals of a GBS.

For the vast majority of companies still relying heavily on labour to manage the movement of goods on and off trucks, the process is time consuming – often taking up to 45 minutes per truck – and high risk. In addition to the well-known safety concerns associated with forklift trucks, workers can be exposed to hazardous materials and heavy items. Given the global lack of labour, organisations will struggle to attain the consistency demanded by a GBS without significantly overhauling existing loading operations.

While there are inevitably some differences to be accommodated – such as diverse pallet or trailer sizes, even different numbers of warehouse docks in each operation – standardised loading operations are inherently achievable. Replacing manual operations, including forklifts, with a loading system brings consistency. It reduces the risks associated with forklifts, improving employee safety, and it transforms the speed of unloading.

Global Standardisation

There is an array of options, from skate and track systems to pneumatic rollertracks and container loading systems, each designed to reflect the different load types, warehouse space and operational needs. Working with a global partner is key not only to determine the best approach for the overall business, but also to accelerate the deployment of one standard model across every site.

Leveraging proven technology and processes, as well as consistent local deployment skills, can quickly reinforce the new model. Furthermore, the continual replication of the same, known solution both reduces implementation risk and creates a reliable cost model, supporting the GBS objective of driving global efficiencies.

Once in place, a standardised approach delivers improved workforce safety on every continent, underpinning global reputation as a good employer – a key requirement given the endemic labour shortage. Furthermore, consistent operations allow the GBS to drive faster adoption of innovation, from the expansion of AI to the use of global data visibility to support real time decision making. Indeed, it provides the foundation for the next evolution in business partnerships, including joint ventures, as organisations look to build ever greater resilience in an uncertain global marketplace.