-: While global trade in 2020 did not decrease
as much as many people had predicted
at the beginning of the pandemic,
structural shifts remain.
Structural shifts that have been driven
by geopolitical frictions and supply chain disruptions
due to COVID-19.
Looking forward, we are positive about global trade.
We believe that global trade will increase
by 3% per annum until 2030.
But we also see fundamental regional shifts
in trading routes,
decreasing trading routes in the Northern Hemisphere,
while increasing trading routes
with South America, Africa, and Asia.
These structural shifts are a core element
of the future global trade landscape.
But we also see changes when it comes to core products,
be it in the health care area or in the high-tech area,
where supply chain disruptions have taken place
in the last months.
Now, when you are a corporate leader
and you have to handle that situation, what shall you do?
It's not only about increasing inventory and buffer times,
it is about thinking a completely new supply chain model,
including local sourcing, or dual sourcing,
or triple sourcing,
and also bringing digital transparency
to an end-to-end supply chain management.
All this should be done with a clear perspective
of a net zero supply chain management in the years to come.