Lean Logistics
What is Lean Logistics?
Lean Logistics is a management philosophy adapted from Toyota's production model (Lean Manufacturing), whose main objective is to identify and eliminate waste throughout the entire supply chain. In logistics, "waste" is any activity or resource that consumes time and money but does not add real value to the end customer.
The 7 Wastes in Logistics
A modern WMS is the main tool to combat the wastes identified by this philosophy:
Excess Inventory
Having more stock than necessary, tying up capital.
Transportation
Unnecessary movement of goods between warehouses or zones.
Motion
Excessive operator movements within the warehouse due to lack of route optimization.
Waiting
Idle time where operators or machines wait for orders or goods.
Over-Processing
Redundant tasks, such as manually checking something already scanned by RFID.
Defects & Errors
Picking errors that generate returns and reverse logistics costs.
Overproduction
Preparing orders ahead of schedule, congesting shipping zones.
What is the Competitive Advantage?
Implementing Lean Logistics allows companies to operate with leaner structures, reduce operational costs, and increase delivery speed, becoming more competitive in the European market.