The transport system is the pivotal element in a logistics chain and can consume perhaps one third of the total cost of logistics. The transport system has an overarching impact on the overall performance of production procedures right through from manufacturing to distribution. Given its critical role, transport planning is essential and good planning reaps rewards in efficiencies that add to the bottom line.

Good supply chain management results in a competitive edge, increased profitability and productivity through lean and efficient processes. No matter how satisfied you are with your specific network, only a cool appraisal by an independent external expert can reassure you that you are not missing any number of potential enhancements. You could be leaving money on the table unwittingly.

Flaws in warehouse design and layout cost money over the life of the facility. While not every eventuality can be foreseen and prevented, there are some common design mistakes that recur time after time in warehouses all over the world.

To improve your transport planning strategy and supply chain management, you first need to know what you want to achieve from your supply chain, before making and changes or committing any investment for most businesses there are two overarching goals behind transport planning:

Your transport and distribution network plays a vital role in your supply chain. At times of company expansion or reorganisation, many businesses review their transport capacity in light of their operational commitments, vehicle size and customer service requirements. This reassessment cannot happen in isolation, but is usually carried out in conjunction with warehouse improvement and other steps to improve the supply chain.

Transport planning allows you to optimise your delivery routes, take full advantage of the space in your vehicles and gain the most output from each driver-hour.

Your Transport Plan will cover different areas relating to warehouse layout, stock control, storage, fleet management and handling costs. Every business will require a bespoke plan to meet their business goals and service obligations. The details will vary, but behind each successful transport strategy are six guiding principles by which improvements can be measured.

Today there is software available to help with many tasks within a business. Most will save you effort, making things easier and many can also save you money. A transport planning application can do both of those things - and the larger your fleet of trucks, the greater the savings and efficiencies you can expect to make.

An integrated transport planning strategy can help businesses analyse efficiency and save costs across the whole supply chain. In this article we give an overview of all the processes involved and the savings businesses stand to make when taking a systematic approach to planning.

If you wish to optimise your transport planning and logistics strategy you should look at the following 8 main points and determine if any of them have room for improvement. Those main points are:

Warehouse processes have a habit of growing over time. New procedures, layouts and technologies are implemented to handle particular processes or in response to specific problems and tend to remain in place – often long after they have served their purpose. The long-term effect of this is a gradual loss of productivity as duplication and physical warehouse processes take up a growing proportion of your team’s time. When this happens, a new way of measuring and analysing your warehouse performance is called for.