logistics advisory
Most companies with a logistical requirement struggle to have, ‘The right product in the right place at the right time and in 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.
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Challenges
These are a sample of the questions we deal with every day from a range of different sized organizations operating within different industry sectors:
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What level of stockholding is required for each product category?
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What order lead time for each customer group?
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How many stockholding points and where should they be?
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How should the warehouse be designed, managed inhouse or outsourced? Wide aisle or narrow aisle racking? Is the mezzanine floor usable?
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What IT systems are required and how much transparency provided to customers?
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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?
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Is the fleet size correct, with the optimum mix of vehicles?
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Is a drop shipment service required on behalf of customers?
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Sell directly to the consumer?
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Opportunities
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.
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Approach
Once the overall logistics strategy has been defined, execution is about establishing priorities 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 destabilizing the business. A key feature of Tholmann DMCC 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 vigor ensuring all decisions are soundly based and financially and operationally robust.
Freight Transport
With few exceptions, freight transport remains one of the most critical areas for any organization involved in selling or distributing physical products. It does not matter how good the product is if it does not reach the destination on time, and in perfect condition, there will be an unhappy customer. That customer could be a major manufacturer purchasing raw materials to feed a production line or a consumer waiting for the delivery of a new pair of shoes, the service requirement is just the same – on time in full and without damage.
Transport Operations Improvement
Inefficient transport operations can significantly reduce your company’s profit. Transport is a high-cost activity that represents a direct cost to your goods or service it is being used for. Left unmanaged, transport costs can quickly increase either through poor utilization of men and equipment or poor control of operational costs. Typically, every additional dirham spent on transport is a dirham less to the bottom line.
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As with all areas of business transport costs must be identified, and actively managed, if they are to be kept to the minimum. Tholmann DMCC have developed a series of initiatives that address all the key aspects of driver operations.
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Transport Design & Modelling
Improving and optimizing your transport operation is a key part of enhancing the overall efficiency of your business. Our transport consultants can provide significant benefits both in terms of cost reduction and service improvement and provide a competitive edge.
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To deliver transport solutions on the ground often requires the project management of an implementation phase. This might include changes to infrastructure, processes, and shifts. Systems implementations and the leading and training of teams. Tholmann DMCC provides specialist report to lead transport change management projects.
Warehouse Planning & Design
Owning and running warehouses is often a significant cost to a business, but it can also be a real customer service differentiator. In some businesses, owning and running warehouses is the business.
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Tholmann DMCC can analyze transaction data, growth and range projections, product characteristics and inventory profiles to build a picture of what will be stored and how it should move into and out of a warehouse, today and tomorrow. We create options and explain the relative merits of them all. We can work through the spectrum from conceptual drawings to detailed, fully costed build-ready designs, and we can partner with design and construction firms to ensure continuity from concept to operational ready hand-over.
Get a Quote
Please contact us to talk about your supply chain and logistics problem. Reach us by phone, email or request a call back via the form BELOW.