49-52/2020 Overcoming the trilemma
Do we need to square the circle, or is it just a question of getting back on track? Either way, 2021 will follow in the footsteps of the most extraordinary year of this millennium – which will at least make it more predictable than the twelve months just behind us.
We know all about the risks coming at us, so let’s tick that box straight away, and move on to the opportunities. Independently of whether the promised vaccines against Covid-19 prove to be the panacea or not – they certainly represent a business opportunity for almost every player in the supply chain. They will additionally offer us the possibility of showing the world that it isn’t only the pharmaceuticals industry that is a champion these days, but that logistics has a few solutions up its sleeve too. Without logistics no distribution of these eagerly-awaited substances.
Besides public health, 2021 will see the economic recovery take centre stage too. Even if the CEP industry’s triumph seems irresistible, we can expect some societal yo-yo effects. We can finally go shopping again! This exclamation of joy will bring many a smile to faces in the retail sector, and propel logistics worldwide forward again. Many of the voices of doom we heard in spring underestimated the resilience of quite a few industries, after all.
Last but not least, we’re all hoping for the resurrection of our valuable personal freedoms. It’ll be interesting to see what era we enter after the pandemic. It doesn’t have to be orgiastic. A pleasant evening with family and friends would already be quite a luxury. That’s what me and my small circle are looking forward to. I and the entire team wish you a merry Christmas an
Christian Doepgen
Editor-in-chief
