TRL3708
ASSIGNMENT 4
SEMESTER 1
2023
1.1 Introduction
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, As a logistics consultant, this report aims to guide Siyalungisa shoe manufacturer in
addressing their logistics challenges. Siyalungisa is a shoe manufacturer that produces more
than 30,000 shoes annually, distributed through warehouses to 500 organizations and
wholesalers. The company is facing challenges in managing finished goods, and customers
require products to be delivered quickly, extending the manufacturing lead time. To address
these challenges, Siyalungisa introduced an integrated logistics system that integrates the
activities of planning, purchasing, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. This report will
discuss cost trade-offs related to transportation and inventory, a framework for planning
inventory deployment, varying the number of warehouses to increase service level, and
aligning MRP and DRP systems to ensure warehouse and transport efficiency of operations at
Siyalungisa.
1.2 Cost trade-offs related to transportation and inventory
Transportation and inventory are critical factors in logistics management, and cost trade-offs
between them should be carefully considered. Transport costs include fuel, vehicle
maintenance, driver wages, and insurance. Inventory costs include storage, handling, and
capital costs. Siyalungisa uses public warehouses to store bulk quantities of shoes and uses its
trucks to deliver shoes to different branches and customer locations. When demand is high,
the organization outsources delivery work to private carriers.
To optimize transportation and inventory costs, Siyalungisa can consider the following
strategies:
Consolidation: By consolidating shipments, Siyalungisa can reduce transportation
costs by using fewer trucks and improve inventory efficiency by reducing safety stock
levels. This strategy can be applied by grouping orders by destination or shipment
size.
Just-in-time (JIT) inventory: JIT inventory can reduce inventory costs by ensuring that
products are delivered only when they are needed. This strategy can be applied by
synchronizing production and delivery schedules, reducing lead times, and improving
forecasting accuracy.
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