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The results of Beverage Industry’s annual Fleet Study are in and they reflect the increasing diversification of fleet equipment, fuel and the best day-to-day practices in modern delivery operations.

Whether it’s the repeal of Prohibition, legalization of cannabis and its impact on the alcohol industry, or the ways in which eCommerce is impacting the sale and distribution of beer, the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) has been on the pulse of many hot-button topics during the past 81 years.

As equipment manufacturers get ready to reveal their 2019 product plans, we expect to see many more companies plugging in to the future of beverage distribution.

Whether it’s a natural disaster caused by fire, flood or earthquake; an employee who gets injured from accidental slips and falls; property damage; a truck that gets in an accident; or a faulty product leading to lawsuits, there are a number of unfortunate scenarios for beverage distributors, drink retailers, bars, pubs and restaurants that could negatively harm their businesses.

Here’s some of the latest high-tech safety technology solutions, as well as an aluminum product that helps reduce catastrophic accidents with little high-tech interface.

The use of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), or robotic lift trucks, is expanding as the industry finds ways to transition simple, repeatable tasks to guided or autonomous vehicles, experts say.

Increasing the array of channels, devices and platforms that splinter mass communication into the thousands of niche outlets, allows brands to cater to specific audiences.

Sometimes you want to take care of your own backyard. That’s essentially the reason that Boston-based Harpoon Brewery — now the 18th largest craft brewer in the country, according to the Brewers Association, operates a separate distribution business to serve its home market.

FIJI Water, a brand of Los Angeles-based The Wonderful Company, LLC, announced it will be directly handling its product delivery. 

Through new facility development, some beverage operators are dedicating their capital expenditure budget to the construction of new plants and offices.