Danone and dm lead industry shift towards digital logistics with Cloud4Log adoption

Danone and dm are accelerating the digital transformation of their logistics processes through the Cloud4Log platform, promoting sustainability and operational efficiency across the industry.

Danone and the drugstore chain dm are advancing the digitalisation of their logistics processes through the adoption of the Cloud4Log platform, a cooperative initiative aimed at replacing traditional paper delivery notes with an efficient digital alternative. This transition repres...

ents a significant step in streamlining supply chain operations, enhancing sustainability, and reducing errors along the logistics chain.

Cloud4Log, developed jointly by GS1 Germany and the Bundesvereinigung Logistik (BVL), operates as a cloud-based platform hosted on the Open Telekom Cloud and supported technically by T-Systems. It enables real-time digital exchange and management of delivery documents, allowing supply chain partners to access, comment on, and confirm goods documentation without relying on physical paperwork. The system also supports functionalities like driver self-service for delivery registration, which dm already utilises at three of its distribution centres, simplifying operations for both drivers and warehouse staff.

Currently, dm processes about a quarter of its delivery note volume digitally via Cloud4Log. According to Niklas Wintrich from dm’s logistical supplier management, the platform is steadily evolving from an isolated solution into an industry-wide standard. “We are finally moving away from isolated solutions towards a sector-wide approach,” Wintrich said, highlighting the rising trend in digital adoption this year. He emphasised the ease of implementation for partners, given that changes predominantly affect only the driver’s delivery process. Looking ahead, dm plans to integrate the international electronic consignment note (eCMR) into Cloud4Log, potentially extending digital collaboration to its subsidiaries and international industry partners.

Danone, meanwhile, is preparing for a broader rollout of Cloud4Log next year but anticipates challenges as they may not always have consistent drivers assigned to specific routes. Andreas Reisenhofer from Danone noted, “When we go into rollout, we will not always have fixed drivers for one route,” which will require close cooperation across involved parties. Danone is also reliant on the wider logistics community’s adoption of Cloud4Log, as it outsources much of its logistics to external providers. Florian Quast from Danone pointed out that achieving a true industry standard depends on both the retail sector and logistics service providers embracing the platform. Danone continues to digitise further parts of its order-to-cash process to minimise error potential in the supply chain, underscoring that successful digitalisation and sustainability efforts require joint efforts across industry, trade, and logistics.

The effectiveness of Cloud4Log has been recognised beyond these companies. The platform received the ‘Innovation Excellence’ prize at the ECR Award, attesting to its capacity to reduce process efforts, save paper, and improve efficiency at supply chain ramps. A prior pilot involving 20 companies from consumer goods, retail, and logistics demonstrated that delivery processes could be shortened by up to ten days, thanks to features like contactless handovers via QR code scans and digital signatures. Additional add-ons from T-Systems further enhance supply chain digitisation by automating document archiving and enabling event-driven payments, adding value through increased transparency and error reduction.

Ultimately, Cloud4Log exemplifies a promising collaboration model between industry, retail, and logistics sectors in Germany, striving to drive a seamless, paperless, and efficient goods flow. While the platform is still growing in adoption—requiring broader involvement from market players—it is steadily gaining traction as a potential standardised solution. For companies like Danone and dm, this shift away from isolated digital silos toward a cooperative sector-wide platform signals both operational modernisation and a commitment to more sustainable logistics.

Source: Noah Wire Services