Strategic Overview

Global Distribution Strategies - Asia Pacific 2008

The logistics market in Asia Pacific is highly complex and fragmented. The region is dominated by China and Japan, one country undeveloped and fast growing, the other mature but stagnating. In addition, an array of up and coming consumer and production markets have emerged: Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia to name but a few.  

Distributing product across such a contrasting mix of markets faces challenges which are unheard of and now little understood in North America and Europe. In addition to a variety of barriers to trade, quality of transport infrastructure is often inconsistent or even non-existent. Ports, airports and roads can be congested, leading to additional supply chain costs. Many countries are still not able to provide a stable commercial and legal environment. 

Despite this, the region presents fantastic opportunities for investors. Rising disposable income has led to the growth of domestic consumer markets; global manufacturers continue to out-source production to the region attracted by lower costs; and the logistics supply side has plenty of potential for consolidation and mergers and acquisitions for major logistics companies to exploit.

Questions to be addressed at the conference include: 

• How do some of the world's largest manufacturers and retailers organise their physical distribution network?
• Where are the 'hotspots' for distribution centre clusters?
• What are the key drivers in the organisation of supply chains?
• How do distribution strategies vary by industry sector?
• How are strategies dependent on product attributes and upstream/ downstream dynamics?
• How has the expansion of the regional free trade areas impacted on distribution strategies?
• What are the latest trends in Asia, Europe and the Americas?
• What is the role of property development companies?
• Why are port-centric and intermodal strategies so important?
• How progressed are RFID strategies?
• How are supply chain visibility technologies affecting physical distribution?
• What have been some of the worst distribution disasters?