Dinalog makes sure that innovation comes to life.’

Dinalog, the Top Institute for Logistics in Breda, was officially opened today by the Minister for Economic Affairs, Maria van der Hoeven. In her speech, she expressed the belief that Dinalog will make an important contribution to realizing the joint logistical ambitions that have been set for 2020.

‘In 2020, the Netherlands will be the European market leader when it comes to controlling transnational goods flows. The profits made in this segment of the logistics and supply chain sector will triple from €3 billion in 2007 to €10 billion in 2020. And the key player will be the Dutch Institute for Advanced Logistics, Dinalog.’

Supply chains are expanding all the time. Just think of the automotive industry, which has parts brought in from all over the world for assembly at one location. With the increasing complexity comes the need for a strong manager. There are opportunities here for the Netherlands. But how do you change a sector that still consists largely of the movement of goods to a sector that manages a whole chain, from producer to end customer? And how do you then broaden that into several chains (4C cross chain control center) and then even further? How do you do this sustainably? How do you put this into practice?

These are the questions facing Dinalog, according to Willem van Heeren, Chairman of the Board at Dinalog. “Dinalog is the place where entrepreneurs, knowledge institutes and the government together think up, test and then implement and execute the solutions to these issues.”

Via R&D projects and demonstration projects, the market players join together to find innovative solutions and possible ways of implementing them. This is where Dinalog’s strength lies, according to Minister Van der Hoeven.

“Dinalog ensures that knowledge is shared, that joint research is carried out, that inspiring examples are available for everyone, that innovation comes to life, that commercial activity increases.”

A good example of this inspiration and the commercial activity is the establishment of Dinalog Friends, an association of approximately 200 (mainly SME) companies, which strongly supports knowledge sharing and professionalization of the sector. Education is the key to the latter. In Breda, a 14-hectare site has been reserved along the A16, where a campus will be built next to the current office complex. Following the example of the campus at the TU (Technical University) Eindhoven, science and industry will meet and inspire each other here. In advance of this, Peter van der Velden, Mayor of Breda, today reported that the Dutch Institute World Class Maintenance had announced that it would be establishing premises on this site. A good example of the synergy that Dinalog wants to bring about!

The establishment of Dinalog is a concrete elaboration of the Innovation Program on Logistics and Supply Chains devised by the Van Laarhoven Committee. The government has invested 25 million in this innovation program. Dinalog has also received financial support from the provincial and municipal authorities.

Dinalog funds and coordinates research in the field of innovative logistics. Projects which provide useable knowledge for trade and industry. Support from Dinalog Friends,  and other branch associations, guarantees the availability of this knowledge within the sector. Finally, Dinalog aims to introduce the knowledge on supply chain management into the curriculums for logistics training courses.

Following on from the Van Laarhoven Committee, Dinalog has named three main thrusts for research & development:
1. Cross Chain Control Centers – the development of control centers from where several supply chains are managed jointly
2. Service Logistics – the management of after-sales service for products
3. Control of Hubs – control of transport movements and information flows surrounding the Dutch Mainports and hubs in the hinterland.

This year,  up to 20  research and demonstration projects relating to this will be launched.