3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.
This enables decentralised production capabilities and reduces the need for large spare parts inventories, allowing for customisation closer to the point of consumption.
Robotics and Automation.
Robotics and Automation increase efficiency in warehousing and manufacturing operations, reduce labour costs, improve consistency, and enable 24/7 operations in certain facilities.
Advanced Analytics and Simulation Tools.
These tools support scenario planning and network design optimisation and help evaluate different network configurations, enabling dynamic adjustment of network strategies.
5G and Advanced Telecommunications.
5G and Advanced Telecommunications enhance connectivity and enable real-time data transfer, which supports implementing other technologies like IoT and AI, enabling more responsive and agile supply chain operations.
Autonomous Vehicles and Drones.
Autonomous Vehicles and Drones impact last-mile delivery strategies and influence warehouse and distribution centre designs, which may affect the location and role of certain facilities in the network.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) improve maintenance and training protocols, enable more productive picking and packaging in warehouses, and provide remote assistance and collaboration.
Macroeconomic Factors
Taxes, tariffs, currency rates, and other variables unrelated to a specific corporation are examples of macroeconomic influences. Macroeconomic factors have become part of supply chain networks as the world has grown from a global perspective.
Tariffs are described as any duties paid when products are moved along international or city boundaries. As such, tariffs influence decisions on the locations of supply chains. When a country has high tariffs, companies rarely locate within the country or service the market. High tariffs increase the production locations within the supply chain, with each location offering lower capacity. A decrease in tariffs leads to fewer production locations and an increase in the capacity of that facility.