Overview
Over the past decade, several research initiatives have researched and proposed innovative solutions for transport logistics, but the level of adoption in the transport industry has been low, in particular when comparing with other industry sectors. This is due on one side to the transport industry itself, facing issues like a fragmented market structure, price pressure and a high degree of outsourcing, and on the other to the lack of dissemination to relevant stakeholders that has characterized many innovation projects logistics.
LOGINN aims at co-ordinating and supporting RTD projects in the logistics area to improve their capabilities to bridge the gap between pilot implementation and marketable solutions. The main objective is to create a platform to stimulate discussion and consensus-building amongst main public stakeholders, market players and researchers in the intermodal and freight logistics domain in order to facilitate and accelerate the commercial uptake of logistics innovation, by turning knowledge and research into investment in innovation. Logistics innovation, within the scope of this project, encompasses innovative business models within the supply chain, innovative logistics practices, and innovative technologies.
LOGINN will drive innovation adoption in transport logistics by taking a holistic approach that considers several mutually reinforcing aspects of innovation: business models, logistics practices and technologies. This approach will favour the customisation of RTD results towards industrial demand solutions, supporting the development of sustainable business plans for European RTD projects, exploiting synergies between European RTD projects to enable a seamless exchange between RTD projects and logistics stakeholders and finally enabling and supporting the access to Investors.
The following issues will be addressed:
- Raising the profile and understanding of intermodal and freight logistics innovation
- Identifying policies, regulatory measures, financial mechanisms and socio-economic aspects that are required in support of accelerating the development and diffusion of logistics innovation
- Encouraging greater involvement in and acceptance of innovations in the public as well as private sector
Funding
Results
Enhanced logistics model through collaboration
Transport logistics can provide solutions for the most demanding transportation and distribution needs, but stakeholders often face obstacles to investment in innovation. An EU initiative is bringing together key actors to drive innovation and research in logistics.
Barriers to innovation can interfere with solutions that are needed to effectively deal with issues arising along the supply chain. With the support of EU funding, the project 'Logistics innovation uptake' (http://www.loginn-project.eu (LOGINN)) gathers public stakeholders, market players and researchers to speed up the commercial adoption of logistics innovation and to manage and support EU-funded research projects.
To achieve this, the project has adopted a holistic approach to innovation by focusing on business models, logistics practices, and information and communication technologies (ICT).
In 2013, a collaborative web platform was established enabling industry, small and medium-sized enterprises, public authorities, investors and research organisations to jointly promote novel transport logistics solutions, particularly in intermodal transport.
This virtual meeting point discusses the present status and anticipated advances in intermodal freight transport and logistics research and innovation. It is identifying economic, legislative, socioeconomic and technical drivers in order to help develop and disseminate logistics innovation.
The platform aims to reach consensus on overcoming barriers to these innovation drivers, in addition to attracting investment for innovation. This will lead to an action plan containing practical tools and a roadmap for achieving innovation.
A stakeholder group was set up consisting of logistics service providers, shippers, ICT service providers, authorities, research institutions and investors. The overall objective is to create synergies and support innovation uptake in logistics. Membership is ongoing.
Several key events were organised in 2013 to support project activities. A workshop explored obstacles to investment and innovation for industry and examined the impact of social media. Two conference sessions supplied market uptake recommendations based on project outcomes and discussed the role of ICT in innovation.
LOGINN outcomes will help support innovation uptake through constructive dialogue and online communities. By encouraging knowledge sharing and exchange, the project will ultimately overcome the hurdles of logistics innovation.