For a product or service to be delivered in a satisfactory manner to the final customer, it needs to go through a set of various procedures and resources, which must be managed efficiently. In short, these processes are called Supply Chain 4.0. Translated into Portuguese as Gestão da Cadeia de Suprimentos, this is actually a phenomenon, driven by the intense digitalization of the business and industrial landscape. 
In practice, it determines the adoption of technological solutions capable of making processes more effective, automated, and integrated at all stages of the chain.
According to studies, companies that see the potential of the concept experience a 40% increase in order rates and 30% in customer satisfaction.
More than delivering quality products and services, Supply Chain 4.0 also helps prevent losses, avoid low productivity, excess inventory, logistics inefficiency, and much more. 
It acts directly on obtaining, analyzing, and processing data, enabling a complete overview of all ends of the chain.
Now that you know what Supply Chain 4.0 is, check out the sections below to find out what the biggest challenges are and how technology helps mitigate them.

Supply Chain: The Main Challenges
There are numerous challenges that permeate the supply chain; one of the main ones is, undoubtedly, the complexity of the entire process, which involves multiple operations and requires a high level of transparency to ensure the control and quality of manufactured products.
In addition, there are still some uncontrollable disruptions, such as weather conditions, geopolitical conflicts, and public health issues, like epidemics and pandemics. In this scenario, the pressure for sustainable production lines gets stronger and stronger.
These and other issues directly interfere with the supply chain, hindering the acquisition of raw materials and even impacting the meeting of deadlines.
According to a survey conducted by McKinsey, industries encompassing complex supply chains can lose up to 40% of their profit relative to a year, within a 10-year period, if they do not have an action plan to deal with the instabilities that arise from time to time.

Supply Chain: Which Technologies Are Leading This Revolution?
There is a series of innovative and essential technologies to ensure the efficiency, adaptability, and transparency of supply chains in Supply Chain 4.0.
Below, we have listed the main ones.

AI (Artificial Intelligence):
The evolution to Supply Chain 4.0 is directly connected to the adoption of AI in the supply chain. This is because the action of Artificial Intelligence is indispensable for optimizing processes, allowing companies to face challenges with more predictability and efficiency. 
Below, we list some advantages of this resource:

Forecasting:
Artificial Intelligence predicts, with greater accuracy, all the demands of an operation. This is done by analyzing history, seasonal periods, market trends, and other external factors, such as weather conditions, for example. 
In practice, it allows businesses to adjust their inventory and production levels to meet demand while minimizing any kind of loss or waste.

Predictive Maintenance:
Considering that Artificial Intelligence can monitor the state of machinery and equipment in the supply chain through data collected in real time, it is correct to say that this resource will be able to predict, for example, when a machine is operating inadequately or needs adjustments or maintenance. In other words, technology allows businesses to avoid shutdowns and still save costs related to the repair or replacement of machinery.

Inventory Management:
Regarding inventory management, Artificial Intelligence works in identifying consumption patterns, variations in demand, and potential seasonalities, contributing to a more assertive and timely replenishment.

Identification of Irregularities:
By helping in the continuous monitoring of supply chain operations, Artificial Intelligence is also capable of identifying potential anomalies or irregularities in operations. In this way, the tools can issue alerts about potential quality deviations, missed deadlines, or any kind of unplanned event occurrences.

Savings and Efficiency:
Precisely by optimizing and integrating all ends of the supply chain, Artificial Intelligence directly contributes to reducing operational costs and, in parallel, to increasing efficiency.

Machine Learning:
Machine Learning also plays a fundamental role in the supply chain revolution, allowing companies to make more informed decisions, optimize operations, and face even the most complex challenges.

Adaptability in Decision Making:
ML allows decision-making to be done in real time. To do this, it considers several variables that are in constant transformation. These resources are even more valuable when businesses need to react to unforeseen events, such as demand spikes or shipping delays.

Logistics:
Because of its algorithms, Machine Learning enables the so-called vehicle routing which, in practice, makes the strategic choice of more efficient and economical routes for product delivery viable.

Continuous Learning:
As data is collected, Machine Learning improves its ability to predict, optimize, and identify patterns. This continuous improvement directly contributes to businesses adapting more quickly to an environment marked by dynamism and volatility.

IoT (Internet of Things):
Another technological solution directly linked to Supply Chain 4.0 is the Internet of Things. Check out below some of the many applications and benefits it provides:

Tracking:
The Internet of Things enables constant asset tracking. 
From containers to individual items, this feature is a real differentiator, especially for complex and global supply chains that need to know exactly where their products are located.

Condition Monitoring:
IoT sensors can monitor all the conditions of products in transit, such as temperature and humidity - an indispensable feature to ensure the quality and efficacy of pharmaceutical and food products.

Blockchain:
The blockchain technology has also brought several advantages to supply chains, making them more secure and transparent.
Find out how in the next sections:

Traceability:
One of Blockchain's strengths is precisely its ability to provide a high level of traceability along the entire supply chain.
From production to the final delivery of products, each transaction is properly registered in immutable blocks, intensifying operational transparency and, indirectly, contributing to a better relationship between businesses and consumers.

Integrity:
By being immutable and encrypted, blockchain records prevent fraudulent actions, such as product counterfeiting and data tampering.

Smart Contracts:
Blockchain supports self-executing programs. Also known as "smart contracts", they automate and simplify payments, shipments, and delivery agreements, reducing or even eliminating the need for intermediaries in these processes.

Simplification of Audits and Compliance:
By presenting a complete audit trail, records in Blockchain make it easier for companies to achieve compliance with regulations and third-party audits, saving time, resources, and making processes much less bureaucratic.

Robotics:
Last but not least, robotics also plays an essential role in the evolution toward Supply Chain 4.0, mainly regarding task automation.

Picking:
Some robots can be employed to perform picking (product selection) and packaging tasks in logistics environments.
Absolutely intelligent, the machines select items with total precision and package them efficiently. 
As a result, companies can reduce the probability of human errors and minimize labor-related costs.

Deliveries:
Both autonomous robots and drones themselves can deliver products directly to customers. This type of automation, in addition to ensuring more agility in processes and faster deliveries, is also an excellent way to reduce costs and prevent errors.

Quality Monitoring and Inspection:
Some robots with computer vision are capable of inspecting product quality and monitoring all conditions during transport. 
In practice, they can identify defects, damaged packaging, or variations in item quality.

Flexibility:
Finally, some collaborative robots are designed to work alongside human employees, precisely to ensure more flexibility in options and the necessary adaptation to meet fluctuations in demand.

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