Nippon Express drives DX for logistics with NEC Vol.4

February 16,2022

― Greener and leaner digitalised supply chains

Along with optimising the efficiency of logistics sites, the two companies have ambitions to reduce the carbon footprint of supply chains through DX.

"Many of our customers are actively developing measures to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, but in order to do this, they must be aware of their actual emission figures across their supply chains," says Masuda. "We hope to help our clients visualise their CO2 emissions comprehensively."

The alliance will make this possible by combining NEC's ability to capture data and visualise Scope 1 and 2 Emissions and Nippon Express' capabilities to do this for Scope 3 logistics processes.

Elsewhere, the alliance will facilitate Nippon Express' ongoing vision to create industry-wide digital platforms for supply chains. Already, the company has begun to develop such a data-driven platform for pharmaceutical and semiconductor logistics. NEC's leading technologies such as cryptography will provide the kind of data security which is vital in pharma shipments and for sharing sensitive information on open platforms. In addition, NEC's industry know-how will be an asset in developing a semiconductor industry supply chain platform.

"If we can create such an open platform where it becomes clear where parts and products are located across the world, we will not only make logistics more efficient, but will also be able to ensure optimum levels of inventory and limit stockouts, all the while reducing emissions industry-wide," says Masuda. "We want to work with NEC to realise this ideal."

― Digitally facing the future together

Mr Takashi Masuda (left) and Mr Fumiaki Matsubara (right)

The blurring of boundaries between industries caused by digitalisation can be equally a threat or opportunity. For Nippon Express, the fluid state of the global logistics sector is being embraced as a chance to further its role as a leading global provider of logistics solutions. Its alliance with NEC, with its array of leading digital technologies and capabilities to integrate, will be at the heart of this strategy. Both sides, equally leaders in their respective domains and equal partners in future projects, agree that they share a fundamental vision about where they want to go.

"There are three things which define our alliance," says NEC's Matsubara. "The weight of our history, the fact that we share management goals of contributing to society and that we both have a large global impact."

Nippon Express' Masuda adds: "Our decision to carry out global cooperation with NEC on these projects is based on years of accumulated trust, and this in turn gives us strong expectations for the future."

This content was paid for and produced by Nippon Express in partnership with the Commercial Department of the Financial Times.