Poland The new logic of logistics management

Logistics has become a system of communicating nodes, in which every area of ​​planning – technological, operational, or infrastructure – almost immediately impacts the entire supply chain. From the perspective of companies operating in the retail and FMCG industries, it's clear that time depends on organisation and cost depends on scale, variability, and the number of deviations from standard operations. Solutions only work when embedded in the everyday realities of business.

Solutions without the "wow factor," but with a long-term horizon

Automation is increasingly less of a symbol of modernity. Today, it is primarily a pragmatic response to the structural limitations of the market, for example, in terms of the scale of operations or the growing complexity of operations. These interdependencies are clearly visible in the daily operations of large retail chains, where technology is no longer perceived as a competitor to humans, but rather a key support system.

For us, technology has never been an end in itself. We don't implement automation to chase market trends, but to build operational resilience. What's crucial is that machines stabilise processes and guarantee repeatable quality regardless of scale. Crucially, automation drastically changes the role of humans in the supply chain. We relieve employees of the most demanding, repetitive physical tasks. In this way, their role naturally evolves – from simple contractors to experts who manage advanced systems and oversee processes. This transforms the nature of their tasks, thus enhancing market competencies.
Tomasz Kuchta, director of the SCM division at Kaufland Polska

The importance of this approach stems not only from growth ambitions but also from the realities of the labour market. Companies are grappling with the decreasing availability of manual workers, an ageing population, and rising labour costs. In such circumstances, automation is no longer just a strategic choice, but a key element of ensuring operational continuity.

In practice, the prevailing approach is still one in which technology is assessed primarily through the prism of a quick return on investment. However, market experience shows that this is too narrow a view. At the same time, the market is showing a shift in perspective: automation is beginning to be viewed as a capital investment that builds business resilience, rather than simply a tool for rapid cost reduction.

Planning in a World That Changes Faster Than Investment

One of the greatest challenges facing the modern supply chain is the pace of change. Planning and launching a modern logistics infrastructure takes years, while tools, sales models, and customer expectations can change within a matter of a dozen or even a few months. This tension is increasingly influencing the way we think about investments, including the selection of a specific warehouse facility.

It often turns out that companies first focus on implementing technology and only then confront the limitations of the chosen warehouse – lack of space for growth, difficulty in changing process layouts, or the need to modify infrastructure. Therefore, it is crucial today to think of a warehouse as an element of a long-term operational strategy, not solely as a cost or a place to meet current needs. A well-planned location and facility can significantly extend the functionality of implemented technologies and allow a company to maintain operational flexibility in changing conditions, while poor decisions at this stage are very difficult to correct later.
Paulina Dziubińska, senior director, industrial agency, JLL

Logistics planning today increasingly rarely means searching for a single, perfect solution that will remain relevant for the next ten years. In reality, it is a process of continuous decision-making under uncertainty and accepting that some assumptions quickly become obsolete. The disconnect between the long lifecycle of infrastructure decisions and the pace at which technologies and operating models change remains a particular challenge.

The scale of this uncertainty is well illustrated by specific figures. Implementing a sorter in an existing facility currently takes about 6-8 months, while planning and implementing a greenfield investment takes several years. Furthermore, solutions implemented just a year ago are now considered outdated. Additionally, the cost differences between individual technological solutions are significant - the cost of a sorter can be around PLN 5 mln, but it can also be as high as PLN 20 mln, depending on the scale of the operation, the manufacturer, and the process itself.

Time, Cost, and the Customer – Where Does Acceleration End?

In Poland, next-day delivery has become standard. Customers take it for granted, and any delay is considered a mistake on the part of the seller or supplier. At the same time, cost pressures in retail are increasing, and margins are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. This discrepancy between customer expectations and cost realities is one of today's key operational challenges.

Today, customers expect orders to be fulfilled almost immediately, yet they don't want to pay more for delivery services. This puts companies in a difficult position – they must balance operating costs with meeting market expectations. In practice, this means constantly searching for compromises: where can we accelerate and where must we accept longer lead times to maintain the profitability of the entire process. An additional challenge is sales peaks, which test the limits of even the best-designed logistics systems several times a year.
Łukasz Boguszewski, supply chain director at Leroy Merlin

It's worth noting that customer expectations vary regionally. While next-day delivery has become the market norm in Poland, in many Western European countries, the acceptable delivery time is still up to several days.

Last Mile and Fresh Produce Logistics – The Limits of Flexibility

New last-mile models, where rapid product availability and order fulfilment from multiple points within the network become crucial, open up additional channels for companies to reach customers, but at the same time significantly increase operational complexity. The challenge shifts from transport itself to picking, managing staff, and managing inventory distributed across multiple locations. The more delivery points, the greater the pressure on process synchronisation and operational stability of the entire network. Fresh produce logistics require a completely different approach than handling durable goods. Short shelf life, the need to maintain constant temperature control, and the lack of time buffer for error correction mean that even minor disruptions can lead to the loss of entire batches.

In fresh produce logistics, there is no room for error. We work within very tight time windows because the product has a limited shelf life, and the customer expects the highest quality. Seasonality exacerbates these challenges – during peak demand, we handle volumes up to three times greater than normal, requiring operational and resource flexibility that are difficult to achieve with standard methods. The cross-dock model, while effective, makes full automation practically impossible – especially when we have to service multiple temperature zones simultaneously. This is logistics where people, processes, and technology must operate in truly precise synchronisation.
Radosław Nowak, managing director, Greenyard Logistics Poland

Infrastructure doesn't solve problems, but it can block them.

Logistics infrastructure – including warehouses – is a key element of a business strategy. A well-designed infrastructure supports technology and flexibility. A poorly planned one shifts costs elsewhere and limits growth opportunities, which impacts the customer in the long term.

We increasingly work with companies that aren't simply looking for warehouse space, but want to understand what infrastructure decisions will truly support their business model in the long term. A warehouse can be a competitive advantage today, but it can just as easily become a barrier to growth – not only when poorly designed or located, but also when the lease terms do not provide the tenant with sufficient operational flexibility.
Monika Woźniak, senior business development director, industrial agency, JLL

Logistics as the Art of Conscious Compromise

Today's logistics isn't about maximising a single metric. It's about making conscious compromises between time, cost, technology, and customer service quality – in a world of increasing volatility, cost pressures, and resource constraints. Companies that can manage this tension coherently build not only an operational but also a strategic advantage.