Supply network: return to healthy storage
But the effects on the supply chains in the pandemic are only the tip of the iceberg for Marc Schrott: “The structural problems in the supply of pharmaceuticals are unfortunately worsening from year to year. For this reason, we have decided to return to healthy warehousing, as was common before the globalization of the pharmaceutical markets. But we didn’t want to go back to the 80 years, but rather to help shape the new decade with our own ideas and optimizations and to be able to provide our patients and customers with maximum delivery security. We have the project with Scarcely and Noventi planned in such a way that every pharmacist in their region can implement it as well and we thus also create a platform of individualists who can compete with the international distribution of pharmaceuticals. ”
Logistics center for B2B and B2C
The logistical challenges arise from the mixing of B2B and B2C business. While the article structure is very similar in both business models, the order structure is completely different. Accordingly, different pack sizes are required when assembling the deliveries in the warehouse: an original box for the fulfillment of a hospital order, a bundle pack for a pharmacy order and a single pack for the preparation of an order for a private customer. “The bundling of different business models in a central logistics center is the key to success for efficient logistics in an urban environment. Knapp provides the technological backbone for this, ”emphasizes Johannes Kompek, Senior Sales Engineer Healthcare Solutions Knapp AG.
Healthcare Campus – fast, urban and green
Marc Schrott lives the green and sustainable idea: “We don’t want to deliver in a few days, but within a few hours. This requires an intralogistic solution with a very short order processing time. Deliveries are made with electric vehicles and e-bikes. The expandability of the solution was particularly important to us, because our supply network offers a multitude of options for delivering regional products in the city in cooperation with other local suppliers. ”
The entire Healthcare Campus will be operated with solar power generated on the roof area and the active facades. The Central pharmacy uses the maximum solar charging capacity on the building for the delivery fleet. The building will also be designed with geothermal energy for heating and cooling the warehouse and order picking as energy-efficient as possible and environmentally friendly.
Last mile challenge
The last mile is not only one of the most cost-intensive processes, it also harbors the risk of frustrating customers, for example through delayed or inflexible delivery. The use of the Healthcare Campus as an urban logistics center makes it possible to increase efficiency, save costs and at the same time offer a higher level of service. Thanks to the integrated software solution from Knapp, all availabilities are always in view.
Knapp supplies the latest technology for the Healthcare Campus: a pallet and shuttle warehouse, fully automatic central belt systems, ergonomic goods-to-person workstations and a shipping solution that takes pharmacy-specific security requirements into account. Various expansion scenarios have already been taken into account in the automation and software solution. Depending on the expansion of the business, technology and software modules can easily be added.
Supply network: New Urban Logistics
In order to design the supply networks of the future, the main thing is to insert nodes in the right places, use synergies and create new potential. It is currently evident that those nodes that point towards the end customer and the last mile are gaining in importance when viewed as a whole and that synergy effects with stationary retail are also emerging here. For this reason, Knapp launched the New Urban Logistics initiative and backed it up with a broad portfolio of solutions.
Also read: Customer experience: retailers are investing in new sales channels in 2021
