Key Logistics Activities and Technologies Related to Logistics

Abstract —There are some complex and compelling challenges that global manufacturing industries should face, which includes price fluctuation, supply-chain inefficiencies and increasing customer expectations. In order to meet the demand of this economic environment, manufacturers need to find innovative, smarter ways to face those challenges. Thus, the efficient inventory management becomes urgent to manufacturers and it could help improve profitability and increase customer satisfaction. This paper aims to talk about what inventory management is and its importance, what problems inventory management might have and how to improve inventory management efficiency.

Westminster Company is one of the largest manufacturers of consumer health products, based in US. Their distinctive name and company logo are recognized throughout the world. Westminster was originally founded as a family-owned pharmaceutical supply business in 1923, the company has expanded, by virtue of aggressive new product development, into a global provider of health care consumer products. It consumes three wholly owned subsidiaries, manufacturing grocery product, drugs, and mass merchandise. Intense rivalry in the market, and distresses of having an effective supply chain, made the company evaluate its supply chain and logistics. The primary focus of its research was the key clients of the three companies. To understand logistics the company must first know what logistics is and how it works. Logistics is defined as a business planning framework for the management of material, service, information and capital flows (Logistics World , 2014). Logistics is an important function of the business and without a proper logistics system, all the manufacturing, marketing and other activities would fail, overall resulting with the company failing to reach its full potential. After thoroughly analyzing the case study of, Westminster Company, to improve their current logistic strategy, they would need to implement the following strategies: developing and analyzing a new system to focus on strategic effort to ship their products in a timelier, efficient and in a more accurate

Logistics Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material-handling, and packaging within an organization. With Wal-Mart this was stemmed from Mr. Walton’s idea of “discount retailing.” It was with this idea and the lack of transportation to

There are many challenges being faced by the logistics industry today as the companies strive for sustainability. This is because the providers of logistics services have, over a period of several years, found them being integrated into the production processes of their customers, while at the same time, governments and businesses have continued to carefully weigh the issue of logistics in their investment and business decisions. Some of the previous trends and the forces of the operations of logistics that drive the transformation of a Freight forwarding company will be examined. It will focus on theories, conceptual models and frameworks that explain logistic operations. The gaps in the logistics operations and the dangers of not addressing

Managing what's in a warehouse or on the shop floor can be extremely complex if you're looking for optimal cost and supply chain management capabilities( Needleman, 2017 ). Inventory estimation and control is directly impacted a company’s profitability.

In today’s world, competence is taking on new dimensions. The ability to compete is being determined by the degree of responsiveness to customers & key issues handling. How fast you deliver the goods/ products, what the price paid by customers & what value customer is getting throughout the service is considered in a schematic & ordered way. Markets are quick demanding & customization of each logistics activities is essential for each customer, & has become the essential factor in logistics management.

Over the last few decades, the role of logistics in business has increased in scope as well as in strategic importance (Caplice and sheffi, 1995). In general, distribution logistics is expected to ‘provide the right goods at the right time, at the right place, in the right amount and quality, and at the right price’ (Jünemann & Daum 1989, p. 18.)

Berman et al (2006) identified inventory and transportation as two key contributors of supply chain total cost. They require keen attention for supply chain efficiency to be realized. Inventory costs include; Capital cost that forms the largest factor of inventory carrying cost. Companies must balance money held inform of inventory and money required for daily operations. Inventory is treated as an asset in the balance sheet hence attracts taxation from most governments. To cover against loss and damages, insurance premiums are paid. When inventory utilization is slower than expected there is a likely hood of obsolesce. This reduces the actual value of that inventory. There is also storage costs incurred in form of rent or lease of the space stocks are held. Inventory also attracts fixed costs that do not change with the volume of inventory kept. These are calculated as warehousing costs such as utilities and wage (Goldsby et al. 2005)

“Inventory is one of the most expensive and important assets to many companies, representing as much as 50% of total invested capital. Managers have long recognized that good inventory control is crucial” (Render et al, 2011). Therefore, it is really no surprise that companies place such a high importance on inventory control. An analysis of the planning and forecasting process, as well as the uses of inventory control will certainly verify the significance of inventory control in the business environment. In addition, by utilizing several inventory methods: economic order

“Inventory management is a core operations management activity” (Stevenson, 2016). The Inventory Management and Control needs to be designed to meet the demand of the marketplace and still be able to support the company, and any plans to expand, etc. The structure of inventories is important for the supply chain in order to have an effective material flow and order fulfillment. In the case for Harvey Industries, the inventory control system would prompt the stockroom supervisor, purchasing and manufacturing manager to place orders for goods to be replenished, whenever one of them finds the materials have been depleted. Often, prompting trade-offs in inventory and poor inventory management results in a lower productivity value in operations, decreasing customer satisfaction resulting in an increase in operating costs.

All organizations have difficulty managing their inventory. The usual reason is the inability to forecast adequately, when items are added to inventory, it is in anticipation of demand. Also, If the demand is later than expected or never materializes, the result is excessive stock and if the demand is sooner or stronger than anticipated, the result is inadequate stock. Factors that tend to reduce inventory are more accurate forecasts, shorter lead times, integrated synchronized operations, technology upgrades, improved communication networks, and standardization (Brown, 1959; Lee & Billington, 1992).

As a brief description of the subject in the study, the life cycle of logistics can also be maximized through establishing effective management organizing efforts to maintain a certain company’s operational structure that will avoid or prevent errors and mismanagement that can take place within the corporation. In this case, the 360 degree logistics can be found when there will be a capital expenditure that will be carried out to fund materials and human resources that will be helping to manufacture product. As soon as the product will be made and distributed to the market, there will be an exchange of commodity

Internal logistics is one of the most important sections within enterprises, especially in the large manufacturing companies. It manages, arranges, plans and delivers the finished products. It is an indispensable part of the supply chain, as well as reflects the result of implementation company strategy.

In view of the rapidly and constantly changing business environment globally and fast evolving trade and commerce scenario in India vis-à-vis global market, there is increasing requirement of reliable and dependable integrated logistics solutions providers who can provide comprehensive, professional and dependable logistics support to the industry, keeping the same in mind and with the vision to provide quality and professional comprehensive logistics solutions to the international & domestic trade.

Forward logistics (or conventional logistics) is the regular distribution channel followed by the manufactures from time immemorial. Forward logistics concentrates on the products (goods or services) reaching the consumer end and deals with the line of flow from the manufacturer’s end to the consumer’s end. It deals with the very essence of Supply Chain Management and logistical activities of an organization. It has a significant impact on the primary operations carried out, which act as the basic revenue generating aspect of a business. In this logistical system, the flow is a “one-to-many” type and the forecasting or traceability is quite simple.