FIRMS MUST EMBRACE NEW TECH
With the logistics supply chain industry highly dependent on technology, experts said that companies must embrace new advancements like automation if they want to excel.
“Whenever new technology comes, we are getting affected. Autonomous vehicles, drones – we use technology more than any other industry,” said Dr Sugoutam Ghosh, head of the graduate diploma in logistics and supply chain management programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
“There’s a lot of investment needed in this area, but I think the government is giving some support on this one. But this will be the future – things will be automated,” he added.
Artificial intelligence can optimise deliveries and reduce carbon emissions from delivery vehicles by using the best routes and schedules, Dr Ghosh noted.
The Seafood Company uses the Ninja Van delivery service, which it says can deftly handle the fluctuation in demand from consumers following livestream sales on TikTok.
Mr Chia said his firm will soon explore selling live seafood directly to consumers and possibly collaborate with Ninja Van for that as well. The logistics firm launched cold chain delivery services last month in a bid to go beyond e-commerce.
Mr Winston Seow, Ninja Van Group’s group chief marketing and enablement officer, said: “Where previously traditional cold chain logistics companies had an issue of not being able to cover nationwide, we can now do that because we have that infrastructure and the network that we have built up from our e-commerce capabilities.”
The Seafood Company’s Mr Chia added: “If Ninja Van … can continue to maintain this level of service, I think end-consumers can expect (and) in fact demand higher quality of seafood to reach their homes.
“I would say it’s a good plus across the industry.”
