We are all in agreement that the events in the last 3 years have had an impact on practically every single industry but we also have to admit that some were affected more than others and logistics in one of them. Planes were grounded overnight, borders closed and a lot of people left without a job. Then as we all thought we were starting to see light at the end of the tunnel; the energy crisis and the fuel prices made it almost impossible to recover. We are now entering a whole new phase, what we thought we knew as the norm is no longer valid. What are though the new parameters?
There has been a shift in the way people conduct business, with all this uncertainty companies chose local options as lead times are shorter. On the other hand, European sources have felt the pressure from their Far-Eastern competitors for too long. And as a result of that they have responded with a drop in container prices that cannot be ignored. At the same time the state of the European rail network is in desperate need of maintenance, upgrade & replacements, causing further disruptions even in countries such as Germany. Finally staffing issues have applied so much pressure to the point where car manufacturers are suggesting to their customers to collect their new vehicle from the factory! This has now turned into a moving picture where we all brace ourselves for the next logistic challenge that sees daylight. The transport world is definitely changing!
