Disruptive technology comes to downstream logistics

Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Secretary-General Dr. Abdulwahab Al Sadoun on Monday hailed an upcoming conference as a chance to throw a spotlight on how the concept of supply chain 4.0 is impacting the downstream sector.

Supply chain 4.0 is an effort to describe how new disruptive technologies such as AI and the Internet of Things are further refining the already complex web of logistics in the sector.

Held from April 15-17, 2019, at the InterContinental Festival City Hotel in Dubai, the 11th edition of the GPCA Supply Chain Conference will focus on the 4.0 concept.

Dr. Abdulwahab Al Sadoun, secretary-general of the GPCA, said, “The chemical industry represents one of the largest interacting industries globally, serving USD 35 trillion of end-user markets and delivering materials to more than 14 sectors worldwide. The chemical supply chain is one of the most complex globally that’s increasingly being disrupted by innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, blockchain, big data and more. This is giving rise to a new generation of supply chains known as supply chain 4.0 that is more collaborative, optimized, faster and efficient.”

He added, “The 11th GPCA Supply Chain Conference will shed light on the tremendous value that ‘Supply Chain 4.0’ can create by stimulating the exchange of knowledge and thought-provoking discussions with top international and regional industry experts, logistics service providers, leading technology players, port authorities and operators. It will further discuss the challenges of implementing a successful supply chain digitalization strategy and how the traditional linear supply chain is evolving into an integrated value chain underpinned by greater collaboration to achieve efficiencies and lower costs.”

The GPCA was established in 2006 and now has 250 members who produce USD 108 billion worth of products every year.