Increasing the energy efficiency of supply chains - McKinsey Quarterly - Energy, Resources, Materials - Environment

Increasing the energy efficiency of supply chains - McKinsey Quarterly - Energy, Resources, Materials - Environment: "Increasing the energy efficiency of supply chains
The supply chains of many manufacturing sectors went global when oil was cheap; today, improving energy efficiency is a top concern for executives. This interactive shows numerous opportunities to dramatically reduce energy costs in supply chains.

AUGUST 2009 • Tobias A. Meyer

Source: Climate Change Special Initiative

Supply chains have become increasingly global over the latter half of the century, as the globalization of trade was fueled by cheap oil. Today, the transportation of goods consumes 15 million barrels of oil a day—roughly one-fifth of total production.

Increasing the energy efficiency of supply chains
Explore levers for potential energy-efficiency gains in each stage of the supply chain.
Launch Interactive
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In an ongoing study of energy efficiency in supply chains, McKinsey looked at numerous opportunities to reduce the amount of oil used to get goods from a manufacturer’s dock to a retailer’s shelf. These opportunities are available not only to manufacturers but to wholesalers, distributors, carriers, and third-party businesses. We’ve grouped these opportunities into six levers to illustrate possible next steps. Of course, the players in a chain operate independently from one another, so achieving all of these gains would require coordinated efforts and investments—a considerable challenge."