b'30 Partner News Winter 2021EnterpriseWhy engineeringcities, and rural areas. Totes, which can be powered by decarbonised electricity without the need for batteries or fossil fuels, carry and smartfreight through a network of overground or underground utility pipes at uninterrupted technology is thespeeds of between 54-72 km/h. answer to supplyWithin the next five years, UK parcel volumes from online shopping alone are predicted to double to six billion per annum. The rollout chain resilienceof our technology will take an estimated 90% of online delivery vehicles off the road, and a greenerWhether you point the finger of blame athelping to reduce pollution and congestion Brexit, COVID-19, or even incidents such aswhile improving road safety. This also the grounding of the Ever Given containermitigates against supply chain disruption future ship in the Suez Canal (which held upcaused by a shortage of HGV drivers.$9.6b of trade over six days according to data from Lloyds List)the global supplyAnd for the final mile, there are autonomous chain has been heading perilously towardssolutions like Oxbotica which recently By Phill Davies,the edge of a cliff for some time now.received investment from Ocado as well as Starship Technologies that has been trialling Co-Founder & CommercialThere are certain risks, such as politicalits delivery robots in Milton Keynes and tension and trade wars, that will alwaysNorthampton, partnering with retailers such Director of Magway be difficult to mitigate against. However,as Co-Op, with great success since 2018.there is now a growing economic andAll these examples come with a environmental need to build globalconnected ecosystem of infrastructure supply chain resilience and this presentspartners and employment opportunities a very exciting opportunity for theacross engineering, product design, engineering and technology industries. programming, data analytics, artificial Supply chain disruption in 2021 hasintelligence and so much more.shaken the global economy to its core.COP26 in November 2021 brought the Empty supermarket shelves and signsdevastating impact of climate change toThroughout the course of modern history, saying temporarily out of stock haveeveryones attention and governmentswe have shown ourselves to be a resourceful now become the new normal. around the world are now thankfullyrace.Through imagination, collaboration committed to reducing carbon emissionsand sheer human effort new technologies This year alone, the headlines have beenand implementing net zero policies.have been found, to overcome challenges dominated with stories of panic buying;that have advanced society and improved people fighting for toilet rolls, drivers queuingWith overwhelming support from theour lives. Such an effort is needed now, miles for petrol, and shoppers rushing forprivate and public sectors, we nowlike never before, as we face perhaps our toys amid warnings that pandemic shortageshave the perfect platform to encouragegreatest challenge, to save our planet.could see supplies run out before Christmas. green-tech agenda setters to innovate,Putting new sustainable technologies at the inspire and create a better tomorrow. centre of this effort will be key to securing A lack of HGV drivers, exacerbated byThere are already great strides beinga brighter tomorrow for future generations.COVID-19 and Brexit, has left wholesalersmade towards decarbonising transport, struggling to get goods into shops,particularly within the movement of goods.highlighting the fragility of a supply chain that has always teetered close to the edge. The European innovation project Flagships is KFC witnessed the full impact of thisbuilding the worlds first hydrogen powered vulnerability first-hand in 2018. Thecargo vessel. Commercial operations are American fast-food brand was forced toexpected to launch on the River Seine close more than 500 restaurants whenduring 2021. Ships powered by renewable operational issues culminating from ahydrogen will make a significant contribution new delivery contract with DHL ledto reducing emissions from shipping and to what has become famously knownimproving the air quality in densely populated as the great chicken shortage.cities like Paris. Imagine the positive impact on the Port of Dover or London Gateway. Last summer, Coca-Cola even came under pressure from the supply chain crisisOur zero-emission system, Magway, takes with a shortage of aluminium cans hittingcare of domestic haul; its a revolutionary supplies throughout the UK and Europeway of moving goods between shipping during the hottest time of the year.terminals, airports, distribution centres,'