20220929-罗兰贝格-Urban_logistics_From_atomization_to_massification_16页_3mb

Urban Logistics Must Shift from Atomization to Massification

Introduction

Urban logistics faces growing challenges including customer demands for faster and more flexible delivery, city congestion, increased emissions, stricter regulations, and inadequate infrastructure. To achieve sustainability, the sector must undergo a “U-turn” from atomization (fragmented, individual deliveries) to massification (centralized, consolidated deliveries).

Key Challenges

• Customer Expectations: Rising demand for quick deliveries (e.g., same-day, even next-hour delivery).
• Volatility: E-commerce growth, especially B2C, leads to unpredictable demand peaks (e.g., Black Friday). B2B e-commerce also grows but with less volatility.
• Economic Pressures: Shrinking profit margins due to rising costs and efficiency issues in fragmented logistics.
• Environmental Impact: High emissions from inefficient last-mile delivery systems.

Initial Attempts: Isolated Efforts

• Purpose-Built Vehicles (PBVs): Designed for efficiency, but still fragmented.
• Urban Consolidation Centers (UCCs): Show promise in reducing emissions and distance, but many are financially unviable.

Future Scenarios

1. Retail Giants Lead: Retailers like Amazon invest in infrastructure, faster deliveries, and cost efficiencies, potentially dominating urban logistics.
2. Governments Take Control: Cities enforce regulations to push massification, potentially creating regional monopolies but limiting innovation.
3. Ecosystem Self-Optimizes: Collaboration through shared data, infrastructure, and logistics enables efficient massification.

Key Actions for Massification

1. All Stakeholders Need to Collaborate:

   • Logistics Operators: Share facilities and pool flows to improve efficiency.
   • Consumers: Use app-based scheduling for deliveries and opt for massification-friendly options.
   • Infrastructure Providers: Optimize space and enable massification through tools like smart parking and cargo hubs.
   • Shippers/OEMs: Load vehicles more efficiently and use modular containers.

2. Technological Solutions:

   • Autonomous delivery robots and electric vehicles.
   • Blockchain for optimizing freight flows.
   • Delivery lockers and underground cargo pipelines.

Conclusion

Massification is essential for sustainability, efficiency, and cost reduction. Success depends on the collaboration of all players—governments, logistics providers, consumers, and infrastructure developers—to align incentives and jointly address challenges.