Weekly Roundup - Stellantis’ Legal Battle, EV Charging Facility at Allianz Arena and Ikea’s Sustainable Marketplace

As shown in Accenture's report "Next stop, next-gen," companies urgently need to enhance their supply chain capabilities by adopting advanced technologies like generative AI and machine learning for autonomous decision-making, advanced simulations, and continuous improvement. The report outlines four stages of maturity: Past (reliance on legacy technology and manual processes), Now (partial digitalization of tasks), Near (scaling up digitization and integrating high-quality data), and Next (utilizing AI for autonomous operations). Evaluating 1,000 companies across these stages, the report found that most are still in the early "past" or "now" stages, with a median maturity score of only 30%, indicating that overall supply chain maturity is lacking.

Capability maturity is crucial for companies because it significantly impacts their ability to leverage advanced technologies and achieve greater business value. The top 10% of companies, referred to as "leaders," demonstrate this by heavily investing in sophisticated technologies like AI and generative AI. These investments enable them to enhance maturity across various capabilities, resulting in maturity scores two to three times higher than those of other companies. As a result, these leaders can deliver diverse business value through their supply chain networks, focusing not just on traditional goals but also on sustainability and resilience, thereby gaining a competitive advantage. Leaders are also much more likely to align their supply chain and manufacturing capabilities with their company's business priorities, in contrast to less mature companies, which tend to focus mainly on cost and service.

An independent foundation in the Netherlands, Fiat Chrysler Investors Recovery Stichting, has filed a class action lawsuit against Stellantis, the company formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and France's PSA, over alleged emissions test cheating by Fiat Chrysler. The lawsuit claims that from 2014 to 2017, Fiat Chrysler installed illegal software in its vehicles to cover up emissions, causing significant harm to investors who bought or held Fiat Chrysler shares. Stellantis has denied the claims and intends to defend itself. The case was filed in the District Court North-Holland, with the court expected to decide the next steps on December 4th. The lawsuit is backed by an external financier linked to Fortress Investment Group.

A new electric truck charging facility is set to be established at the Allianz Arena parking lot in Munich, with the first phase of construction starting in June 2025. The project will feature 30 megawatt and fast charging points, and aims to support up to 500 electric trucks and buses daily. The Allianz Arena's location at a busy motorway junction and its substantial existing power infrastructure, due to high electricity usage for stadium operations, make it an ideal site for this development. The investment, estimated in the single-digit millions, is viewed as a significant project by both MAN and local officials. Future plans also include a public charging park for electric cars. The project is seen as a landmark initiative, highlighting Bavaria’s role in advancing electric vehicle infrastructure.

IKEA is piloting a new online marketplace called "IKEA Preowned" for buying and selling used IKEA furniture. Launched on August 26th, the platform is currently available only in Madrid and Oslo, with plans to expand globally if successful. The initiative aims to enhance sustainability by extending the life of IKEA products and reducing waste. Users can list used items with photos and details, while IKEA provides additional information such as dimensions and original price. Products must be picked up directly from sellers. At launch, Madrid featured over 450 items, including a used Kivik sofa priced significantly below its original cost.

Read more on recent highlights

• Samsung SDI finalizes deal with GM to build $3.5 bln joint EV battery factory in US
• Maersk unveils SAR 1.3 billion logistics hub at Jeddah Islamic Port
• Germany ‘falling into crisis’ as Berlin suffers vision deficit
• Cybercrime and sabotage cost German firms $300 bln in past year
• AI use in German companies stagnates
• Unilever: Boosting efficiency in its end-to-end supply chain
• Toyota global output falls for 6th straight month in July
• The energy transition: Where are we, really?

Dive deep into research

"Supplier connectivity: a study on how to gain supplier acceptance for the integration of digital supply chain systems" by Kalesh, S., Kiratli-Schneider, N. and Schiele, H. (2024)

"A dynamic scheduling method for logistics supply chain based on adaptive ant colony algorithm" by Zhang, Y. and Wang, L. (2024)

Events

Industry of Things World Europe

When: 29. September - 1. October 2024

Where: Berlin, Germany

What: At the Industry of Things World more than 350 decision-makers, practitioners and solution providers will discuss use cases and business strategies from the Industry 4.0 universe. Latest technological trends, opportunities and risks as well as direct practical examples from the manufacturing industry – the Industry of Things World is designed to evaluate and discuss your technology strategy for a scalable, secure and efficient IIoT implementation around your production.

VISION

When: 8. - 10. October 2024

Where: Stuttgart, Germany

What: Experience the latest products, technologies and trend themes of machine vision such as embedded vision, hyperspectral imaging and deep learning. At VISION, you’ll learn all about the innovative possibilities presented by current and upcoming machine-vision technologies. World-leading exhibitors will be on hand to unveil the latest systems and components. In no time, you’ll have an overview of key technologies related to Industry 4.0 and automated processes. This top international trade fair will also offer plenty of inspiration in examples of real-world scenarios.

SaaStock 2024

When: 14. - 16. October 2024

Where: Dublin, Ireland

What: SaaStock is a prominent global conference focused on the Software as a Service industry, attracting founders, executives, investors, and other key players in the ecosystem. Since its inception in 2016, SaaStock has become a premier event for SaaS companies looking to grow, scale, and innovate. The conference features a blend of insightful keynote speeches, in-depth workshops, and valuable networking opportunities, all designed to help SaaS professionals navigate the rapidly evolving landscape. With events held in major cities around the world, SaaStock serves as a vital hub for sharing knowledge, forging connections, and driving the future of SaaS.