Last Mile

Last Mile

CEEW Report: Only 47% of Rural LPG Users Get Doorstep Delivery

A CEEW report reveals that only 47% of rural LPG users in India receive doorstep delivery, with refill cost and last-mile logistics identified as binding constraints. While 73% of rural households used LPG in the past 90 days, just 23% use it exclusively — half still rely on firewood. Migrant users face severe barriers: 79% lack formal connections and under 4% are enrolled in PMUY despite 2021 policy reforms. Affordability is critical — 80% would switch exclusively to LPG at Rs 400/cylinder, far below the Rs 642 subsidised rate. Informal users pay Rs 71/kg (20%+ premium) or Rs 1,040 for cylinders priced at Rs 803. CEEW recommends raising the PMUY subsidy by Rs 200 per cylinder.

2026-09-13

Last Mile

Logistics Managers’ Index falls to 66.6 in August

The Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) fell to 66.6 in August 2026 — down from 68.9 in July and 71.1 in June — marking the second consecutive monthly decline. Inventory levels cooled to 52.8, with upstream firms slipping into contraction at 49.0. The LMI, a U.S.-based survey of logistics managers, remains above the 50 expansion threshold but signals slowing growth. The report was released on Sep 02, 2026. This follows GE Appliances’ $1 billion Kentucky factory expansion announced on Sep 03, 2026.

2026-09-09

Last Mile

U.S. Last-Mile Costs Rise Faster Than Revenue for 45% of Operators

A FarEye report reveals intensifying financial strain on U.S. last-mile delivery: 45% of operators say costs are outpacing revenue in 2026, while fuel, driver availability, and vehicle operations rank as top cost pressures. Organizations with greater network control achieve 95% on-time performance and 8.3% median cost inflation—well below the 14.5% seen among low-control peers. Hybrid networks now span 57% of respondents, with 47% planning deeper outsourcing. Predictability trumps speed for 55.7%, and AI adoption has jumped to 66.3% from 46.2% in 2025.

2026-09-03

Last Mile

U.S. Firms Seek Greater Last-Mile Control Amid 64% AI-Adopting Shoppers

A FarEye study cited by Supply Chain Xchange finds U.S. enterprises with greater control over last-mile delivery infrastructure and data better withstand delivery cost inflation, complex fulfillment networks, and changing customer expectations. The report links this advantage to rising adoption of AI by shoppers — 64% of whom now use AI tools — as documented in a related report dated Aug 27, 2026. Released on Aug 28, 2026, the analysis focuses exclusively on U.S. operations and identifies data ownership as a critical lever for operational resilience.

2026-08-31

Last Mile

Chattogram seeks 40% tariff cut to boost airport logistics

The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry has requested the government to cut international flight tariffs by 40% and establish a dedicated cargo village to transform Shah Amanat International Airport into a regional logistics hub. They argue that preferential tariffs and improved infrastructure would help reduce reliance on Dhaka-centric aviation and attract more transit traffic.

2026-08-19

Last Mile

India’s B2B Logistics Lags as Quick Commerce Hits 5,000 Dark Stores

India’s last-mile delivery infrastructure has matured, but primary and secondary B2B logistics remain manual and fragmented — hindering scalability despite rapid quick commerce growth. The combined dark store network of Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto reached over 5,000 locations by May 2026, up nearly 48% year-on-year, while India’s quick commerce market grew 40%. New GST rules mandating e-way bill closure within one day of delivery highlight systemic digital gaps. ClickPost CEO Naman Vijay emphasizes that B2B logistics — processing 50 million+ shipments monthly across 30+ countries — is the decisive layer for supply chain speed and working capital efficiency.

2026-08-09

Last Mile

O’Neill Logistics deploys 24 Robust.AI Carter robots in Q4

O’Neill Logistics will deploy 24 Robust.AI Carter mobile robots across its New Jersey and Georgia facilities in Q4 2026. The robots will support retail, DTC, and omnichannel fulfillment at a 1 million square-foot Savannah site and a Monroe, NJ hub. Designed for human collaboration, Carter enables system-directed picking and light-directed putting without new hardware. O’Neill Logistics operates ~2 million square feet nationally. Stephen Reilly, director of industrial engineering, emphasized productivity gains without floor complexity. Robust.AI CEO Anthony Jules stressed automation built "for people, not just around them."

2026-07-31

Last Mile

Hyundai Glovis inks Chinese EV battery, KD parts deals

Hyundai Glovis has secured new logistics contracts with Chinese EV and battery manufacturers, including sea transport of batteries from South China to Hungary, Spain, and Italy; KD parts shipments from East China to Slovenia and Croatia; and vehicle disassembly and rail transport to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Finished vehicle shipments via PCTC from China rose 93% — from 260,000 units in 2023 to 510,000 in 2025. The firm aims for 40 trillion won in revenue by 2030, prioritizing non-affiliate customer growth. It recently launched a dedicated high-and-heavy cargo unit to serve China’s industrial machinery export market.

2026-07-29

Last Mile

DHL breaks ground on $71M logistics campus in Hung Yen

DHL Supply Chain has broken ground on a $71.69 million logistics campus in Hung Yen, Vietnam — its largest Grade-A facility in Southeast Asia. Spanning over 82,500 square metres, Phase 1 opens in early 2027. The investment reflects Vietnam’s projected fourth-largest global merchandise trade growth (2026–2030), 6% annual trade expansion, and 87% export-dependent GDP. The campus links Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport and Hai Phong Port via the Ha Noi–Hai Phong Expressway, serving tech, automotive, healthcare, and retail sectors. It aligns with Vietnam’s 2025–35 logistics strategy and supports Hung Yen’s 4,189 active investment projects worth $49.4 billion.

2026-07-27

Last Mile

Amazon’s Michael Shorrosh to detail $2.6B automation scaling at IntraLogisteX Dallas

Amazon’s Michael Shorrosh, site leader (L7), will speak at IntraLogisteX Dallas on 16–17 September 2026 about scaling warehouse automation across operations handling US$2.6 billion in annual throughput, 2,500+ employees, and 970 robotic assets. Drawing on 15+ years of logistics leadership, he emphasizes constraint-focused execution, AI-augmented decision support, and sequencing automation after process standardization — not as a substitute for operational discipline. The talk challenges the industry to measure success through throughput, quality, capacity, and resilience — not labor savings alone.

2026-07-25

Last Mile

Descartes acquires Drivin for $30M to boost Latin America last-mile AI

Descartes Systems Group acquired Santiago, Chile-based Drivin for $30 million on July 6, 2026, with up to $5 million in earnout. Drivin’s AI-powered last-mile platform—deployed across high-density Latin American cities—adds real-time routing, dispatching, and operational metadata to Descartes’ Global Logistics Network. The deal follows Descartes’ $28 million April 2026 acquisition of Idelic, whose platform draws on 400,000 accident reports and 40 billion miles of driving data. Shares of DSGX fell 1.1% on announcement day.

2026-07-23

Last Mile

Strauss, DHL launch Columbus customisation hub with 1.3M-unit capacity

Strauss and DHL Supply Chain have launched a co-located customisation hub in Westerville, Ohio, with go-live on 24 June 2026. The facility integrates embroidery and digital printing directly into DHL’s distribution center, compressing B2B workwear lead times from weeks to days. With current capacity of 1.3 million units annually and scalability built into its design, the hub supports Strauss’s North American expansion. The partnership exemplifies the evolution of 3PLs into co-manufacturers — embedding value-added services like branding directly into fulfilment workflows.

2026-07-17