News | Arvato Group | Gütersloh, 10/06/2020

Arvato Supply Chain Solutions Pools Its Digital Competencies

Arvato Supply Chain Solutions is pooling its digital competencies. Existing expertise and resources are to be made more accessible and utilizable in the new Arvato SCS Digital unit.

Arvato Supply Chain Solutions is pooling its digital competencies from all business units in a new unit called Arvato SCS Digital. The aim is to make existing expertise and resources more accessible and utilizable. This approach is in line with the company’s vision of being the most customer-focused, internationally operating supply chain company, with the strongest focus on data and IT. “This model will also benefit those business units that have offered their customers only a few digital solutions to date. From now on, they will be able to make better use of the expertise that already exists in other divisions, and have a much easier time developing bespoke solutions for their customers,” explains Boris Scholz, who will head the new unit as Chief Digital Officer of Arvato Supply Chain Solutions. The idea is also help to expand the business with existing customers, he adds.

The combination of two factors plays a particularly important role in strengthening Arvato Supply Chain Solutions’ market position: firstly, the development of digital solutions for clients and end customers and, secondly, the internal implementation of digital products along the value chain. “The competition is changing, as are the expectations of our clients and their customers,” says Frank Schirrmeister, CEO of Arvato Supply Chain Solutions. “Developing digital solutions that better meet the needs of both groups will make us more competitive long-term and safeguard our company’s future,” he adds, emphasizing the importance of the new digital unit.

Decision-making tools that use artificial intelligence

The new unit will focus on digital solutions that profitably complement the traditional logistics value chain. This includes e-commerce online portals with easily available, customer-relevant information on shipped items, instore apps to support omnichannel processes, and innovative analysis tools. The second important factor, the implementation of digital solutions along the traditional supply chain, is expected to make internal processes faster and more efficient. This should reduce costs and effectively increase the company’s own value-add. Examples include decision-making tools that use artificial intelligence in warehouse operations or digital image recognition algorithms for more efficient returns inspection and inventory counting.