Interview with Michael Svane, Managing Director of DI Transport and Infrastructure.
DI Transport is the gathering point for associations and companies related to the transport industry.
Works with all aspects of freight transport and distribution.
How do you see the future of the freight transport industry?
“I’m confident. But it’s an industry that must and will develop further. There is still demand for things like plants, salami and garden soil, which all need to be transported around, since most of us probably prefer a real plant to a 3D-printed one. But the game changer going forward is driverless technology combined with digitisation.”
What are the future perspectives of driverless technology?
“There’s no doubt that driverless vehicles will have a major impact on the freight transport industry, in companies, warehousing and logistics – both internally and externally. Driverless technology requires more efficient logistics, more standardisation and more automation.”
Could you elaborate on what you mean by standardisation?
“The new technology will demand a higher degree of interplay throughout the supply chain from producer to consumer, and this will in turn demand more standardisation – uniform ways of handling goods. If you’re a gardener, you want to get your plants out there as effectively as possible. You want fast and efficient distribution throughout the entire supply chain, with fewer people involved and many more things running automatically. Uni-Troll has come up with a good suggestion for this with its trolleys.
“We also sometimes find it hard to recruit lorry drivers, so this is another reason why we need automation and standardisation.”
What’s your view on the green agenda?
“The transport sector is known for replacing our lorries frequently. The lorries that are driven a lot are replaced after just four years, which means we quickly acquire the latest technology.
“The green agenda is very important for us, particularly environmentally sound operations, efficiency and reduction of CO2 emissions. When we look at environmental issues, we look at the whole picture – not just the actual transport. We also look at the loading areas and how to make the best possible use of the space in the vehicles. To do this, we need to standardise as much as possible.”
How does Uni-Troll’s concept fit in with these aims?
“Uni-Troll offers an interesting and innovative way to take standardisation one step further. It’s all about developing load units that can be used all the way from producer to store, so there’s efficient utilisation throughout the entire supply chain. This will be the industry’s most important contribution to the green agenda.”
And what about the financial side?
“It will be really interesting when we manage to get financial savings, environmental protection and efficiency to add up to a greater whole. We’re constantly striving for efficiency and optimisation. And the more financial savings we make, the better our carbon footprint will be.
“We’re on a journey, both technologically and when it comes to transitioning to more environmentally friendly logistics. And we can make much more progress by improving our standardisation. The industry is developing very fast.”