Perfectly balancing transport processes down to the last detail

The growing need for rush deliveries or carefully calibrated just-in-time shipments is leading to more transports with underutilized capacities. This is inefficient and unsustainable, and it creates unnecessary costs. But logistics networks, both inbound and outbound, still often lack options to bundle or consolidate shipments through hubs—or even to generate the analyses needed to determine such a potential.

How do transport costs change when delivery intervals are shortened, and how does this compare to the reduction in storage costs? What’s the best way to plan orders and pack shipments? How can changing suppliers help streamline transports? And what are the best routes for moving merchandise or production goods from point A to point B? These are key questions for the integrated planning of consignment sizes and transports. But how can they all be addressed?

Analysis and simulation tools that draw on data from numerous sources facilitate the integrated planning of transport processes and routes, and moreover:

• Run simulation studies to compare the impact of various scenarios (changes in routes, delivery intervals, packing volumes, etc.)
• Consolidate shipping volumes by changes to transport flows (hub, main transport)
• Optimize transport segmentation based on service requirements and delivery times
• Select the right service providers
• Review the use of alternative modes of transport (multimodal planning)
• Assess the costs of various scenarios and compare with the status quo
• Issue recommendations for future RFPs

Integrated planning of delivery cycles and intervals improves the utilization of transport and warehouse capacities, directly benefiting the environment. The uniform distribution of release orders balances out spikes in demand, slashing freight and inventory management costs in distribution and procurement. Minimizing safety stock frees up previously fixed capital.

This also results in optimized transport routes and greater accuracy in deliveries. The integrated inventory and transport dashboard lets you use any inventory available throughout the network to fulfill delivery promises and renders transports more efficient, precise, reliable, and cost-effective overall.