Background

Two thirds of Austrian consumers already shop on the Internet. Between 2006 and 2015 alone, expenditure on internet purchases in Austria increased from € 1.5 billion to € 7.0 billion. However, increasing online shopping also leads to shifting or restructuring of supplier chains: Classic "B2B" (Business-2-Business) interaction from the producer or distributor to the retailer is increasingly replaced by "B2C" interaction (Business-2-Consumer).  The responsibility for the "last mile", i.e. the leg to the consumer household, is shifting from end customer to service providers in the CEP sector (courier, express and parcel service). Shops are no longer the central handover points for goods between business and consumer. Instead, fragmented delivery systems develop with a large number of end customers and destinations, which requires new logistics concepts.

Project objective

The aim of the INNS'PAKET project is to create economically efficient, effective and sustainable transport logistics for the central Tyrolean region (not limited to the inner-city area of Innsbruck) through cooperation between business, research and administration. The project is structured in two main areas: 

• B2C delivery: delivery of parcel services to end customers 
• B2B delivery: delivery for companies/businesses.  

For B2C delivery, the creation of a central logistics node close to high-ranking transport carriers (road, rail), which can be accessed by all delivery services, is planned. The contract for distribution to end customers and operation of the distribution centre is to be awarded in a public tendering process for a certain period of time (approx. 5-10 years). In the course of the awarding process special requirements and framework conditions are defined - from social and environmental standards (employment contracts, vehicle fleet, proportion of load wheels, etc.) to delivery times and services. 
In order to optimise B2B delivery traffic, the second thematic focus is the introduction of a correspondingly bundled service, often based on cooperation. Goods from different manufacturers and product groups are pre-sorted in the central logistics node and delivered centrally.

Methodology&Results

The innovative content of the project lies in the creation of a novel, organizational framework for coordination and cooperation, taking into account legal requirements as well as concrete market needs and financial feasibility. The application of new technological means such as blockchain technologies will also be examined. The results and insights gained in the course of the project will ultimately serve as a basis for subsequent implementation. 

Tasks of the Carl Ritter von Ghega Institute

The Carl Ritter von Ghega Institute for Integrated Mobility Research supports the project by contributing its expertise in the area of consolidation centers and possibilities for integrating the railways into urban logistics processes.