The definition of logistics refers to a concept of military origin, which was later extended to civil organizations. The Dictionary gives the first definition: logistics is "the set of operations intended to allow the armies to live, to move, to fight and to ensure the evacuation and the medical treatment of the personnel". The word is used today a little in all the sauces.
The scientist definition explain that logistics is the science of the movement, of the supplying, the management of materials flow through an organization, from raw materials through to finished goods and the detailed planning and organization of any large complex operation. Logistics typically refers to activities that occur within the boundaries of a single organization. These are operations that go far beyond transport, because they involve the notion of supervision of a complete chain, from the supply of raw material to the delivery of the product in the hands of the customer.
Supply Chain
What are called Supply Chain refers to networks of companies that work together and coordinate their actions to deliver a product to market. They encompass the companies and the business activitiesneeded to design, make, deliver, and use a product or service.Businesses depend on their supply chains to provide them with what they need to survive and thrive. The SC's activities go far beyond simply storing and transporting products. Supply Chain Management (SCM) also includes activities such as marketing, new product development, finance, and customer service. Every business fits into one ormore supply chains and has a role to play in each of them.
A complex sector
Logistics as a business results from the increasing complexity of supplying manufacturers with materials and shipping out goods. Logistics companies generally specialize in the transportation, distribution, storage and packaging of products. Manufacturing companies often use external organizations to execute logistics functions. This allows manufacturers to focus on the core business of manufacturing. Manufacturing companies often require some logistics machinery to function properly, but they may outsource many of the logistics functions not directly associated with manufacturing activities. Since many years, we can see that the railways can only occupy the transport part of these chains. However, the railways have not even managed to maintain their place, because of a lack of reliability and technical and administrative burdens. This is why it is essential to study the logistics sector closely, in order to determine the parts of the Supply Chain in which the rail market would better demonstrate its strengths.
Standardized means of containment
In order to provide these logistics services from a production point to a point of consumption, many stages take place involving, among other things, consolidation, goods breakdown and other order preparation. Logistics also includes the optimization of production operations (raw materials, packaging, processes, etc.) and the consumer experience of the product (marketing innovation, use value, etc.), the optimization of product logistics usually being investigated up to the threshold of the production plant (optimization of palletization plans, pallet product stability, etc.). To arrive at an optimal logistics chain, it is essential to think about a complete standardized packaging system (primary packaging, secondary packaging and transport packaging). Packaging is therefore an important and indispensable factor in reliable logistics, particularly to ensure functions such as product protection, safety, transportation and provision to the stores or to customers.
The boxes have been standardized to occupy the entire space and be harmoniously stacked on pallets which are themselves ISO dimensions in order to occupy the entire surface of a swap body or a semi-trailer. The shape of the products (yoghurt cups, food packaging trays, bottles, paper, household appliances, kit furniture ...) is therefore studied to match the size of boxes and to stack them on the pallet as condensed as possible.
Frédéric de Kemmeter
Railway signalling systems. I'm a rail observer for over 30 years. How has the railway evolved over the decades? Which futur for railways? That's what I'm analyzing and explaining.