Amazon
Amazon is constantly pushing the boundaries of shipping technology and, with the use of drones, the company promises to completely change how we receive packages. The drone delivery service, called Amazon PrimeAir, is designed to safely get packages to customers in 30 minutes or less using unmanned aerial vehicles, also called drones.
On the company’s website, it states that “Prime Air has great potential to enhance the services Amazon already provides to millions of customers by providing rapid parcel delivery that will also increase the overall safety and efficiency of the transportation system.”
If Amazon’s drone program succeeds, it could fundamentally alter the company’s cost structure and the shipping industry as we know it. According to an article in the New York Times, analysts at Deutsche Bank projected in a recent research report that, in a decade from now, drones would reduce the unit cost of each Amazon delivery by about half.
Walmart
Walmart is investing in new sustainable packaging and announced in October last year that their sustainability playbook focuses on three key areas: source sustainable optimized design, and support recycling. They committed to using 100% recyclable packaging for all private label brands by 2025. As reported by Packaging Digest, they are looking into innovative eco-friendly packaging designs—like compact liner board in retail-ready corrugated packaging—which have been shown to boost overall compression strength, save material, and reduce damage.
OptoForce
Robots are playing a large part in shaping the shipping industry, and robotics manufacturer OptoForce is one of the companies leading the charge. According to Packaging Digest, the company just announced that they are equipping robots with a sense of touch.
In regards to packaging applications, robots equipped with the sensor will now be able to perform tasks like inserting glossy paper cartons into shipping boxes, where it is important that you don’t scratch the surface, preventing package damages with the palletizing of fragile objects.
FedEx, UPS, and DHL
These shipping logistics giants are all constantly searching for new and innovative ways to reduce shipping times, cost, and packaging waste.
At a delivery conference last year, Ecommerce News reported that DHL presented technologies they were investigating and that they felt would change the logistics industry by 2030. DHL wants to increase the use of sensors in logistics and sees a potential in using sensors, such as motion and depth sensors, to tell how much room there is left on a pallet, truck, or at a warehouse.
Currently, DHL has conducted successful tests with augmented reality glasses on warehouse staff. These glasses can scan barcodes, show the picking list, and show where goods are located and where they should be placed. Amazon isn’t the only company investigating drone technology—DHL is also testing drone delivery.
UPS is investing in new navigation, dispatch, and routing software called Orion, or On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation, to speed up delivery times and reduce the number of miles driven. According to UPS, Orion’s algorithm considers more than 200,000 ways to conduct a single route before settling on the most efficient course of action.
FedEx is also looking at new technology, including the Enhanced Vision System. This innovative system has been installed on 270 of its fleet of nearly 400 cargo planes. It uses infrared night-vision technology that, as reported by Business Insider, “can greatly improve a pilot’s ability to land in low visibility conditions and mitigate potential weather delays.” This technology is especially useful during the busy holiday months when winter weather threatens to cause delays.
Staxxon
For years, the global shipping industry has had a large problem with empty cargo containers left at port. Staxxon hopes to bring a sustainable alternative to normal, with foldable containers. These foldable containers will reduce the cost and inefficiencies involved in moving intermodal containers. According to Staxxon, with its innovative design, five collapsed containers can fit into the same space as one normal, non-folding container.
Cargo containers aren’t the only shipping containers looking to get a collapsible makeover. Companies are also investigating ways to make IBC containers collapsible. Fully collapsible, these containers can be erected or dismantled in less than a minute and require a fraction of the return storage space, therefore reducing costs.
