Manufacturing Logistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Manufacturing Logistics - Essay Example According to West Midlands Regional Assembly (2007), the West Midlands Region is home to more than 5 million people – a major market for buying and selling goods and services and at the heart of the nation’s strategic road and rail network and its Freight Strategy has considered key regional trends and issues for each of the modes of freight transport: Road, Rail, Air, Pipelines and Inland Waterways. The factory of Aston Enterprises is strategically located to take advantage of the transport networking in the region. Manufacturing Logistics Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ‘logistics‘ as the aspect of military science dealing with the procurement, maintenance, and transportation of military material, facilities, and personnel. In the business context manufacturing logistics is concerned with receiving, inspecting, storing, maintaining and transporting or disposing and the host of other activities which includes controls, reporting and other support service s. According to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), logistics management can be defined as, "that part of supply chain management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customers' requirements." Uncertainties in the supply chain needs to be resolved on priority basis in the logistics perspective to maintain the flow of production and clear the obstacles in the distribution of the products. Li, L. & Schulze, L. (2011) state, â€Å"Along the logistics network, uncertainty can appear anywhere. At the beginning of the network, even the most reliable supplier could have a late delivery. In the middle, a new machine could fail to work; even it’s just been purchased†. Warehousing Material flow and scalability largely depends upon the design of the warehouses, headroom availabl e, overhead crane facilities, entry and exit gateways, etc. Total control of a warehouse should ensure faster traceability, accuracy in identification, easy cargo movement and on-line planning. Handling equipment and storage facilities should be utilized safely, efficiently and optimally. The control of material flow starts with goods reception, storage (include handling for the purpose of storage and delivery) and dispatch. The module of Warehouse Management System should be integrated with the other modules to lend complete support facilities to the warehouse processes and operations with paperless mobile working procedures to ensure cost efficiency, avoidance of congestion and timely delivery. Synchronization of yard management with reference to timings, space, etc. in respect of loading and loading in trucks and trailers and the functions of gate keeping with the warehousing processes is very important in the overall system for effective control of material flow. Tarca, N., Vatu iu, T. & Tarca, I. (2010, p. 351) state â€Å"Logistics planning may include, in addition to transport activities, storage and loading optimizations related to goods or products: stacking, optimizing product placement in relation to the storage†. Material flow in the domestic and international warehouses of the company should be defined with reference to the different interfaces in the system, order management and historical data. Agarwal, G. & Vijayvargy, L. (2011) states â€Å"