Jarle Kjelingtveit is a seasoned logistics leader with over two decades of experience spanning transport, supply chain, and freight operations across Europe, Asia, and the US. As Head of Transport, he drives strategic improvements in outbound logistics, sustainability, and partner collaboration. With deep expertise in procurement, warehousing, and international sourcing, Kjelingtveit is known for building resilient value chains and leading large-scale environmental and operational projects.
1. With your extensive experience in the logistics industry, how has your professional background influenced your approach to managing transport operations at Coop Norge?
Having experience from both domestic and international businesses gives me a broad knowledge and insight into the complexity of the value chains. Especially in today’s market where a deadly cocktail of different challenges, especially internationally makes the predictability and planning a whole lot worse. As companies grow bigger, being able to implement technology in multiple geographies is a considerable challenge, mainly linked to three factors. One is scalability; it is not easy to replicate the same solution everywhere, not to mention having the resources to do so (time, money, talent). Another obvious one is change management because culture, people´s habits and different levels of training vary significantly from place to place. And also, the relevance of building a solid business case; this means costs, ROI and expected savings differ a lot between countries, making it hard to identify value in all initiatives.
2. As Head of Transport at Coop Norge, what are some of the key challenges you encounter in overseeing transportation logistics and what strategies have proven effective in addressing these challenges?
Sourcing internationally has been affected by numerous challenges and obstacles since Covid, more or less coherent. Having backup plans and safety margins proves vital and relying on partners in the logistics chain to tackle sudden issues and problems that might occur, is a good safety net. Having goods available at the right time is more challenging in these times, and hence sourcing strategies and strong partnership is vital. As even new ingredients are mixed into the cocktail of problems, cost is under pressure and having good forecasts and discrepancy plans for deviations might help flatten out the peaks. Keeping your logistical partners close and maintain a close relationship is vital in these times.
“Even as new ingredients are mixed into the cocktail of problems, strong partnerships and solid forecasts help flatten the peaks.”
3. How are you utilizing route optimization tools, real-time tracking, and AI-driven forecasting technologies to improve transportation efficiency and enhance customer experience?
With a complex distribution setup, tracking and visibility is a complex task. We try to overcome this by using GPS and geofencing, scanning at critical points and close integration with our partners through EDI. Route optimization is a tough task in Norway with a long-stretched country, demographic challenges and also having to deal with Mother Nature and harsh winter conditions.
4. Given the growing importance of sustainability and environmental goals, how do you balance the need for operational efficiency with your commitment to reducing your carbon footprint? How does technology play a role in this effort?
With a complex in and outbound transport setup, having good mapping of the environmental footprint is a complex task. On the outbound side we aim to use zero emission trucks and also try to utilize railway transport where possible. For the inbound flow, this is a more complex task, even adding scope 3 to the basket. Utilizing transport capacity and ensure that we use seaway transport where possible are some of the solutions.
5. What trends or innovations in transportation logistics do you believe will most significantly shape the industry’s future, and what advice would you offer to other logistics leaders navigating this rapidly evolving landscape?
Everyone thinks AI is going to solve the logistical problems we are facing, but the issue with the declining number of truck drivers in Europe (and also overseas) will be a problem that will meet us and that digital tools cannot solve for years to come. Meaning that using every bit of transport capacity is vital, making sure the utilization is good, and trucks are being driven only when full. Using intermodal or railway transport is a way of ensuring that the trucks can be used where they are needed regionally to and from terminals, not cross border. Environmental focus has also been challenged by cost increases, global instability and shifting politics, but will eventually is a persistent demand from governments and clients, making this a focal mvvpoint. Resilient value chains that can overcome capacity crunches, shifting international bottlenecks and stronger regulations will be the winners.
