Logistics giant DHL says it is putting people first in its Strategy 2025 to prepare the company for increased digitalisation, according to Oscar de Bok, CEO of DHL Supply Chain, speaking at its smart warehouse in Beringe, Netherlands.
 
The technology campus in Beringe is one of the DHL innovation lighthouses. Here, DHL Supply Chain already runs a smart warehouse and serves customers across Europe with automated and digitalised contract logistics technology.
 
“DHL Supply Chain is not just the leading contract logistics provider in the world, we’re a leader in digitalisation and innovation as well,” said de Bok. “As we continue to grow alongside the market, our customer-focused approach enables us to transform innovative ideas into scalable and commercially viable products that we can roll-out across the regions. The smart warehouse at our technology campus in Beringe is a prime example of how we deploy smart solutions to create immediate value for the customer and for our employees.”
 
The business Strategy 2025 mainly focuses on four areas: when it comes to people and talent, DHL is focusing on how to overcome labour shortages and attract talent, while preparing, training and certifying existing employees for the changes digitalisation will bring.
 
“Our people and the way we train and manage them are a competitive advantage for us” said de Bok.
 
On the execution side, standardisation and constantly improved processes should lead to more profitable growth, he said, while customer experiences, especially the digital customer journeys, are becoming more important.
 
“What sets us apart is our drive to track down innovation and bring the results quickly and comprehensively into operation,” said Markus Voss, CIO and COO for DHL Supply Chain. “Attracting new talents is a crucial step towards adapting to the digitalisation of the logistics industry. Equally important is committing to data-backed, agile collaboration and balancing customers’ demand for fast and transparent services with businesses’ need to reduce costs. With Strategy 2025, we aim for putting our people and customers first and maximising the pace of product roll-outs to take these opportunities head on.”
 
The technology campus in Beringe has 128,000m² of warehouse space equipped with 100 loading docks that see 200 to 250 inbound and outbound lorries per day. The campus serves global technology companies as a pan-European distribution hub. The local team orchestrates the global supply chains of DHL customers. The Transported Asset Protection Association (Tapa) certified campus relies on specialised tools, including processing and sorting machines, augmented reality technology, robotic arms, indoor robotic transport, and scanning mobile devices.