Logistics: what is it and what are its tasks?

Before the introduction of Americanisms into speech of simpleRussian, the word "logistics" meant only the branch of mathematical logic and everything connected with it. Current logistics: what is it? In the world of modern business this word denotes a whole area that provides the immediate needs of any functioning enterprise.

Tasks of logistics

The main duty of logistics is to ensure allconsumer needs by maintaining the normal operation of production, marketing and other industries of the enterprise. In other words, logistics provides us with fresh bread in the store, fresh newspapers and strawberries on the market. And as an auxiliary moment, it ensures the supply of flour to the bakery, fertilizers and planting to farmers' land. Logistics: what is it, what are its main characteristics? Speed, availability of goods, continuity of supply, and flexibility of processes are the main objectives of this area of ​​development of any business.

Functional Areas

Before the term "supply chain" appeared,logistics allowed to minimize costs with the help of functional areas. Change of parameters in any such area of ​​the enterprise can affect its work as a whole.

Logistics infrastructure - a set of relatedamong themselves objects that have different characteristics and have a certain geographical location. For example, a plant can be located near sources of raw materials, and a warehouse (there may be several of them) can be located in a completely different place. All objects of this infrastructure are interconnected in a certain way.

1. Transportation - communication betweenindividual infrastructure facilities. Mass transportations are carried out with the help of road and rail transport. In the case of long distances, water, air and pipeline (for oil and gas transportation) are used.
2. Cargo handling and warehousing. The first process involves loading and unloading, moving products and materials around the warehouse. Warehouses can be tied to production or stand-alone.
3. Order management - the correct calculation of the required number of stocks at each point of the infrastructure, depending on the needs of the entire chain.
4. Logistics: what is it?Information support is the most important part of its entire working system. Information technology has transformed individual functional areas into a single integrated system that minimizes the total costs of the entire supply chain. They provide the basic development of logistics.