WDP News Digest - December 2018
We’re ringing in the new year with a new WDP Digest! In this first edition of the year, we share the latest developments and news from 2018 and take a look ahead at what the logistics world has in store for it this coming year.
#1 Broekman Logistics acquires VLS-Group
In early December, Broekman Logistics, market leader in the Benelux in warehousing packaged chemicals, announced that it had acquired the VLS-Group in Belgium and the Netherlands. The VLS-Group has five locations in Antwerp and one in Rotterdam (Pernis). More information on one of the largest and, consequently, most important acquisitions in the 60-year history of Broekman can be found at logistiek.nl.
#2 DHL gets kids enthusiastic about logistics
DHL has found a new way to invest in the future. The company is giving children the opportunity to spend a day buddied up during an ‘internship’ with a logistics director, courier, warehouse employee, customs officer or other logistics specialist. The goal is to generate interest in a logistics career among young people. Read more about DHL’s ‘flash internships’ for kids at logistiek.nl.
#3 Dutch logistics hubs increasingly important
Logistics hubs are becoming increasingly important for the transport of goods by way of inland ships, lorries and train. For example, the majority of sea containers that loaded and unloaded in the Rotterdam port area in 2017 were transported along West-Brabant, Tilburg-Waalwijk, Venlo-Venray, Rivierenland and Utrecht. Obviously, the strategic location of each of these hotspots plays a major role in their growth. Details on goods transport via Dutch logistics hubs can be read at nieuwsbladtransport.nl.
#4 Logistics companies and the understaffing challenge
The logistics sector is faring well and the influx of new drivers is high. Yet a dire shortage of personnel is expected in coming years. This is a result of increasing digitisation and globalisation. STL advises companies to work together with, for example, courier companies or arrange target group transport. Additional training and awareness-raising campaigns can also help companies retain their employees. More information on the ticking time bomb of the logistics job market can be found at logistiek.nl.
#5 The top logistics trends expected in 2019
According to the experts at LogistiekProfs, it’s all about speed. The pressure created by the next-day delivery trend can be mitigated in 2019 by offering discounts to patient customers, through vehicle connectivity and by using dynamic price models. The climate has not been forgotten, with the experts calling for new sustainable technologies. Discover more about the expected logistics trends in 2019 at logistiekprofs.nl.
