Logistics Consultancy

Most companies with a logistical requirement struggle to have, ‘The right product in the right place at the right time at the lowest cost’, a simple concept, extremely difficult to consistently achieve. It requires combining multiple supply chain disciplines and activities; the main ones being manufacturing or supply, warehousing, transport and systems. In some cases the operating solution is self evident in others the challenge is more complex. Our expertise and experience working for both users and providers of logistics makes us well equipped in finding the right logistics solution for your company.

 

LOGISTICS CHALLENGES

These are a sample of the questions we deal with every day from a range of different sized organisations operating within different industry sectors:

What level of stockholding is required for each product category?

What order lead time for each customer group?

How many stockholding points and where should they be?

How should the warehouse be designed, managed in house or outsourced?  Wide aisle or narrow aisle racking?  Is the mezzanine floor usable?

What IT systems are required and how much transparency provided to customers?

What transport services are required?  A single contractor or a range of service providers including parcel and pallet carriers and full load operators?  Own dedicated fleet or employ a third party?

Is the fleet size correct, with the optimum mix of vehicles?

Is a drop shipment service required on behalf of customers?

Sell directly to the consumer?

 

DEVELOPING & EXECUTING A LOGISTICS STRATEGY

Whatever the questions the approach remains the same: to understand the strategic direction of the business prior to determining the overall logistics strategy. If both the strategic direction and the logistics strategy are already well defined the challenge is one of execution. For other companies it is first necessary to determine the logistics plan that will support the overall business strategy. This could involve supply chain modelling, competitor analysis and market research.

 

SPECIALIST LOGISTICS CONSULTANTS

Once the overall logistics strategy has been defined execution is about establishing priorities in order to achieve the greatest impact on cost and service, for the least amount of investment, and working through the challenges in an orderly and controlled way. Change must not come at the expense of destabilising the business. A particular feature of Davies & Robson is extensive experience both in assisting companies undertaking technical change in-house and outsourcing all or part of the operation to logistics service providers. Whichever route is followed we bring the same structured approach and analytical vigour ensuring all decisions are soundly based and financially and operationally robust.