DHL is focusing on cold chain, product recall and city logistics as its key research anddevelopment topics for 2010, senior managers said.
The group’s DHL Solutions and Innovations unit has selected these three topics to develop “deliverables” by the end of the year, unit head Petra Kiwitt told international journalists at abriefing in Bonn.
For temperature-controlled “cold chain logistics”, DSI has developed a Smart Sensor using RFIDtechnology to transmit data into a central IT system for monitoring and pro-active alertnotification. This product, primarily for the life sciences industry, is currently being tested byseveral large customers in a pilot scheme, she said.
DHL is also developing a standard “Recall Solution” for urgent global product recalls, focusingmostly on consumer electronics, and mobile phones in particular, Kiwitt said.
In terms of city logistics, DHL is in initial talks with large mega-cities around the world toidentify their logistics needs and challenges, and then to develop logistics solutions to reducecongestion and improve deliveries. “We want four Letters of Intent by October,” Kiwitt declared. Ashowcase is currently being developed in Dubai.
The unit’s most successful innovations to date, including market launch, have been GoGreen,real-time solutions, RFID and the Smart Truck, according to managers. The real-time solutionsinclude tracking 2,500 swapbodies and 600 trucks, along with ocean containers and air freightshipments.
Standardised RFID solutions have been created, with rollouts at Metro in France and Sony inGermany along with a pilot test with fashion firm Gerry Weber. The Smart Truck, featuringintelligent route planning, has successfully finished a pilot test in Berlin and more pilots areplanned in other cities.
