"The events of the last years have shown us the importance of resilient supply chains and companies adapting their global supply networks accordingly," says Katja Busch, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation. "At DHL we are committed to supporting our customers in staying resilient in a sustainable way by providing tailored solutions, sharing best practices, and facilitating collaborative initiatives."

"This latest DHL Trend Report underscores our aim to be at the forefront of supply chain trends to empower our customers but also businesses across industries," adds Klaus Dohrmann, Vice President and Head of Innovation and Trend Research at DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation. "We equip companies with the latest research, our industry expertise, tools and logistics solutions needed to bolster resilience, drive agility, improve sustainability, and thus grow their competitive advantage."

Illustrative model of the dimensions of supply chain diversification

In the novel model developed by DHL in collaboration with Emeritus Professor Richard Wilding OBE, one of the world's leading experts in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, four dimensions of supply chain diversification are illustrated:

Multi-Shoring: This involves spreading manufacturing and supplier locations across different regions or countries to mitigate risks. It includes duplicating manufacturing capabilities and using the same supplier in different locations.

Manufacturing & Supplier Network (Multi-Sourcing): Expanding the network to include redundant suppliers and manufacturing capacities to address financial and operational risks.

Modes of Transportation: Utilizing multiple transportation modes simultaneously, covering all stages of transport, including first mile, long haul, and last mile, to diversify routes and reduce risk.