Materials handling

This is a broad area that encompasses virtually all aspects of all movement of raw materials. work in process or finished goods within a plant or warehouse.Because a company incurs costs without adding value each time an item moves or is handled. A primary objective of materials management is to eliminate handling wherever possible. That includes minimizing travel distances, bottlenecks, inventory levels and loss due to waste, mishandling, pilferage and demage. By carefully analyzing material flows, materials management can save the company significant amounts of money.

Key Logistics Activities

Now that we clearly inderstand the logistics exactly and how it offers value to products and services. As well as how it aids a country’s economy, let us now explore the key activities involved in logistics operations.

Logistics facilities the flow of products from point of origin to point of consumption. In the sphere of logistics the following activities are considered as part of the overall logistics process.

• Customer Services
• Demand Forecasting / Planning
• Inventory Management
• Logistics Communications
• Materials Handling
• Order Processing
• Packing
• Parts and Services Support
• Plant and warehouse Site Selection
• Procurement
• Return Goods Handling
• Reverse Logistics
• Traffic and Transportation
• Warehousing and Storage

What is logistics?

Logistics is officially defined as the process of planning, implementing and controlling the efficient and cost-effective flow and storage of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods and related information from the point of origin to the point of comsuption.

More simply,  it is the science (and art) of ensuring that the:

• Right Products reaches the
• Right Place in the
• Right Quantity at the
• Right Time in the
• Right Quality to satisfy customer demand