AI, logistics, and what comes next
Thoughts on computer vision, scalable AI, and the future of forwarding, distribution, and warehousing, from the people building it.
Logistics at a crossroads: amplifying expertise with intelligent automation
The logistics companies thriving today work smarter, not harder: real-time visibility and automation that amplify expertise instead of replacing it.
Freight rates climb, trucks run empty — and the math doesn't add up
Freight rates up 12% while trucks run 15% empty. Poor capacity planning costs the industry billions, and real-time fill rate data changes that.
The $184B cost of supply chain visibility gaps
$184B in supply chain disruption costs in 2024. The culprit is missing real-time visibility at loading docks, where the cameras already are.
The gap between theory and practice in supply chain optimisation
Supply chain optimisation models are only as good as their data. A 10% inaccuracy renders the results meaningless; visibility is a prerequisite.
The logistics industry is at a fascinating crossroads
Four AI applications delivering measurable results today, including dimensional accuracy that cuts shipping costs by 18%.
True value unlocks through process understanding
Value comes from intimately understanding the working process, not from technology alone. A reflection on Ivan Markov's visibility series.
Episode V – Return of the Data
With the conversion ratio fixed and data capture automated, a Nordic furniture retailer ended overbooking and realised €1.3M in annual savings.
Sometimes the biggest wins come from solving the smallest inefficiencies
Seven minutes of admin per container adds up across hundreds of daily loads. One global logistics company gained 6% warehouse productivity.
Container optimisation: beyond 'fill and ship'
'Fill and ship' is no longer enough. Knowing what is actually in each container, versus the manifest, lifts utilisation by 15–25%.
Episode IV – The Missing Piece
The team stopped analysing and started listening, then found a static, never-updated Conversion Ratio between insight and €1.3M in savings.
Episode II – The Proof of Concept Strikes Back
Inspector captured real truck load images at a Nordic furniture retailer. Just 200 data points pointed to €700K–€1.4M in annual savings.
Route planning: the art and science of modern logistics
Route planning is far more than A-to-B. Winning logistics teams blend algorithmic optimisation with real-time visibility and human expertise.
Episode I – A New Approach
Every logistics transformation starts by challenging a belief, so we approached a Nordic furniture retailer with curiosity, not a pitch deck.
Cutting CO₂ through AI-driven trailer utilisation
At DHL, cutting CO₂ is a strategy, not a goal. Real-time monitoring keeps trailers at full capacity, cutting wasted trips and emissions.
Smarter loading equals smarter logistics
DHL on smarter loading: Sentispec's load analysis lifts container fill quality, cuts empty space and damage risk, and saves real money.
Sentispec and DHL: Unlocking AI-powered container intelligence
Sentispec and DHL deployed AI container intelligence for a global heavy equipment manufacturer, surfacing hidden logistics inefficiencies.
How to scale predictable AI
AI in logistics is hard to scale on huge data loads. Keeping only what matters turns a 10 MB problem into 0.5–1 MB, cutting cost sharply.
The disappointment of autonomous AI
Why autonomous AI promising full independence disappoints in real logistics deployments, and how to design for predictable, scalable results.
End-to-end supply chain visibility
RFID and scanning portals cost too much to deploy everywhere. Computer vision tracks goods using cameras already on forklifts, gates and phones.
Musings on human vs. computer vision
Human eyes excel because of the brain behind them. Positioned cameras and real-time processing turn observation into business intelligence.