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CrowdANALYTIX - Interview article -MaruwaUnyuKikanCo. Ltd
Started joint research on order volume prediction with the aim of optimizing delivery of transportation vehicles
――DX that steadily promotes step by step with trial and error
MaruwaUnyuKikanCo. Ltd is a logistics company that focuses on 3PL (third-party logistics). Its business domains are e-commerce/ambient temperature logistics, food logistics, and pharmaceutical/medical logistics. The company, which was founded 52 years ago, has launched a project to use AI to predict order volumes for client stores in order to solve the issues of "people" and "vehicles" in logistics. In this article, we report on a roundtable discussion held by Manabu Chisuwa (also General Manager of Information Systems Division), Section Manager Hirabayashi Yuki, and Macnica Paku Kenhi Hyunhee of the DX Promotion Department, who are leading the project at the company, as well as Mr. Tomoyuki Yoshii, Vice President and DX Division Manager of the Networks Company, and Mr. Ikuma Hirahara of the DX Division AI Business Department, who are supporting the project from an accompanying position.
- Constructing a prediction model for efficiency improvement of vehicle allocation, optimization of staff allocation, and other system interlocking
- Backed by global data scientist resources
- Actively promoting DX through initiatives rooted in on-site needs
MaruwaUnyuKikanCo. Ltd
General Manager of Information System Headquarters
Manabu Chisuwa
MaruwaUnyuKikanCo. Ltd
DX Promotion Department Manager
Yuki Hirabayashi
MaruwaUnyuKikanCo. Ltd
DX promotion department
Ms. Park Hyun-hee
The logistics industry under pressure to solve the problems of on-site inefficiency and dependence on individual skills
Mr. YoshiiFirst of all, please tell us about the general situation surrounding the logistics industry and the DX strategy based on that.
Mr. Chisuwa In the logistics industry, the number of items to be transported is increasing, partly due to the recent prosperity of e-commerce, but on the other hand, it also faces a serious problem of labor shortage. Needless to say, things cannot move without people. In Japan, in particular, the declining birthrate and aging population has led to a decline in the working population, and there will be a further shortage of drivers to deliver goods and workers in warehouses. In addition, there are many tasks that depend on individual skills, so we must actively use the latest technologies such as digital technology and AI to take on the challenge of improving efficiency. For the Company, the rapid expansion of the last mile business to individual homes has made the labor shortage even more urgent, so digital transformation is an urgent situation.
In July 2020, we launched a DX promotion project as a company-wide task force, and started efforts to digitally solve the inefficiencies and personalization of logistics sites. Subsequently, in April 2021, we launched the DX Promotion Department. The mission of the DX Promotion Department is to identify issues at each site, promote research and development in cooperation with external vendors, and apply the results to the site.
Mr. YoshiiOf course, it is important to actively utilize digital technology not only for improving operational efficiency, but also for sustainable business growth. Let digital do what can be done digitally, and assign people to work that only people can do. As a vendor, we would like to support DX in that direction.
In terms of "people", in addition to the fact that Japan is a society with a declining population, it is a society with extremely high language barriers. I have. These are the areas that can be solved with digital technology.
Promote DX company-wide through top-down and proactive communication
Mr. ChisuwaI feel that the progress of DX is slower in the logistics industry than in other industries. As with the Company, there is still a tendency to try to do something with determination and guts in the field. However, it also has its limits. the Company has a long-term vision aiming for sales of 1 trillion yen in 2040, but it is currently about one-tenth of that. We are at a stage where we have to make full use of digital technology in various areas because it will not be enough to achieve a 10-fold increase from here on in terms of mental theory.
Mr. Yoshii: What is the current stage of penetration of DX in your company?
You can download the rest of the conversation here.
Dialogue article first page sample