Logistics
Reliable and fast delivery to members is one of E/D/E’s key core tasks. With its efficient processes and modern services, the eLC logistics centre makes a significant contribution to the competitiveness of the industrial B2B sector. Back to normality – the financial year 2023 can be summarised under this umbrella term. The availability of goods in all product ranges is back to the same high standard as it was before the pandemic. The objective of bringing same-day processing in logistics to a level of 99.9 per cent was also achieved.
per cent same-day processing in logistics
Remarkable for the industrial B2B sector is the consistently high proportion of shipments of more than 80 per cent that are being delivered from the eLC directly to retail customers. Another development in 2023: as part of its own inventory optimisation, the trade sector is relying even more strongly on rapid delivery by the eLC. With newly designed shift models, among other things, we have succeeded in fulfilling all requirements for fast delivery and maximum same-day processing in logistics.
Sustainability is also and especially of central importance in logistics – from energy efficiency in warehousing to the ecological balance of the transport process. The modernisation of the lighting infrastructure, which began in 2023 and will be completed in 2024, will make a significant contribution to energy savings in the eLC. All options for offsetting CO₂ emissions are continually being examined with transport service providers. We are already working with the courier and express provider UPS in this context. From 2024 onwards, the aim is to also be able to offer corresponding transport services in the freight forwarding segment. We are also examining the possibility of adding further parcel service providers to our portfolio in the medium term in order to fulfil the shipping requirements of our members even more specifically.
per cent direct shipping on behalf of distributors
The sustainability strategy also includes the positioning of E/D/E as an attractive, future-proof employer and thus continually improving working conditions. For instance, employees have been able to use exoskeletons since 2023. The support structure primarily relieves a person’s back during lifting activities. Furthermore, numerous activities within the eLC are made easier by the continued optimisation of workplace ergonomics such as height-adjustable packing tables or the use of conveyor technology (goodsto-person principle).
2024 will be a challenging year for the entire logistics industry. Ongoing cost pressure, rising freight prices, and higher personnel costs are among the top developments affecting day-to-day operations. The topic of sustainability with a further reduction in our carbon footprint also remains in focus. We are also working on strategies to further develop E/D/E logistics and to position it for the coming years with its usual high level of performance. These include, in particular, process improvements that further reduce handling costs for both suppliers and retailers.
