Cross-Docking: Current Research Versus Industry Practice and Industry 4.0 Adoption

Abstract

Cross-docking is a supply chain distribution and logistics strategy for which less-thantruckload shipments are consolidated into full-truckload shipments. Goods are stored up to a maximum of 24 hours in a cross-docking terminal. In this chapter, we build on the literature review by Ladier and Alpan (2016), who reviewed cross-docking research and conducted interviews with cross-docking managers to find research gaps and provide recommendations for future research. We conduct a systematic literature review, following the framework by Ladier and Alpan (2016), on cross-docking literature from 2015 up to 2020. We focus on papers that consider the intersection of research and industry, e.g., case studies or studies presenting real-world data. We investigate whether the research has changed according to the recommendations of Ladier and Alpan (2016). Additionally, we examine the adoption of Industry 4.0 practices in cross-docking research, e.g., related to features of the physical internet, the Internet of Things and cyber-physical systems in cross-docking methodologies or case studies. We conclude that only small adaptations have been done based on the recommendations of Ladier and Alpan ( 2016), but we see growing attention for Industry 4.0 concepts in cross-docking, especially for physical internet hubs.

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“…The cross-docking logistics strategy presents new challenges, as discussed in surveys such as Boysen and Fliedner (2010); Van Belle et al (2012); Ladier and Alpan (2016); Kiani Mavi et al (2020). Industry 4.0 practices in cross-docking research are examined in the works of Akkerman et al (2022);Tran-Dang et al (2022), which explore features of the physical internet, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cyber-physical systems in cross-docking methodologies or case studies. The work of Akkerman et al (2022) highlights the substantial body of literature on quantitative methods for optimizing different decision levels in cross-docking problems, which often use simplifications due to computational complexity.…”