DHL AI to optimise packaging
DHL SUPPLY Chain is offering commercial customers new on-demand packaging solutions to make shipments more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
The AI solution OptiCarton helps to optimise the filling volume of boxes from an existing, pre-configured set of cartons and can suggest the splitting of an order into several consignments to make individual shipments more cost- effective or reduce their carbon footprint.
Initial pilots indicate the solution offers customers additional benefits in the shape of shipping-cost savings of up to 35% and with an average of 15%. OptiCarton is of particular interest to commercial customers with large shipping volumes, such as e- sellers or online shops.
“Even though this kind of solution might sound relatively simple at first, providing packing instructions for individual eCommerce shipments in real time is actually quite complex. We are excited to offer a fully automated software solution that can help our customers optimise the utilisation of existing pack sets with the power of artificial intelligence,” says DHL Supply Chain executive vice president global solutions design, Dietmar Steins. “Based on the products, volumes and sizes in question, the software not only suggests the optimal size of the outer packaging, it also provides individual, visual instructions on how to ideally utilise the space inside the box. It’s highly intuitive – and not unlike the well-known computer game Tetris. It may be a simple piece of software in application terms, but it certainly delivers major savings.”
According to initial calculations, an optimally pre-configured and well-utilised set of cardboard boxes can save as much as 50% in superfluous shipment space. This greatly reduces the number of truckloads, allowing commercial customers to save costs not only with regard to oversized cartons and filling material, but also shipping, by eliminating unnecessary transports. Furthermore, the solution can provide recommendations as to whether and how an order should be split up to optimise the shipment configuration, making the solution particularly end-consumer friendly.
“When you look at the increasing numbers of eCommerce and single-item shipments, it’s easy to recognise that on-demand packaging in combination with the optimised utilisation of packing material and transport capacities offer incredible leverage when it comes to saving costs, reducing carbon emissions and improving the customer experience – all at the same time,” says Markus Voss, CIO & COO at DHL Supply Chain.
For more information visit dhl.com
