Any strategy becomes effective only when it is implemented. To successfully implement a strategy, it is necessary to take into account when developing it that there are two types of strategic decisions: the first sets the rules and goals that must be fulfilled, and the second shows how to achieve these rules in practice. For example, a company's strategic decision to expand its sales volume is a rule, and the introduction of an additional channel for selling products via the Internet is a specific means of fulfilling the rule. Thus, the overall goals of the strategy must be supported by decisions related to implementation, which are then translated into more detailed tactical and operational decisions, into specific actions taken and implemented at lower levels (Figure 10.5).

Thus, a strategic decision of the second type on the introduction of an additional channel for selling products via the Internet leads to the adoption of medium-term tactical decisions on hiring and training personnel, on the creation and operation of an electronic page, on organizing the delivery of products to consumers, on the organization of electronic payments; on the use of additional warehouses, etc. These tactical decisions in turn determine operational level decisions related to the purchase of appropriate equipment, inventory control, freight forwarding, transport routes, etc.

In general, the analysis of a logistics strategy leads to the formulation and solution at lower levels of management of the following possible issues:

Should we change our warehousing and transportation operations?

Will the way we plan and schedule work change?

Do we have the necessary resources, if not, can we get them?

Do we have trained personnel and can we prepare them if necessary?

How will the chosen strategy affect current and potential consumers?

What impact will it have on personnel, facilities, organization of activities, technology, etc.?

When moving to implement a strategy, it is necessary to consider decisions for each logistics function, from procurement to delivery. But various authors highlight the following most important areas in which, first of all, decisions must be made.

LC structure. From an organizational point of view, the supply chain consists, firstly, of several levels of suppliers, which include sources of raw materials, intermediate producers, intermediaries, and secondly, of several levels of consumers moving SOEs to end users. Different strategies lead to different types of supply chains, differing in length (number of levels), width (number of parallel routes), capacity, type of intermediaries, degree of control over logistics, quality of services and costs.

Placement of infrastructure elements. After choosing the LC structure, it is necessary to find out where it is best to place some elements of the LC, such as industrial enterprises, wholesale enterprises, warehouses, logistics centers, etc. The issue of placement should be considered very carefully, because... this decision has a significant and long-term impact on many future performance indicators. In addition, once a structure is operational, it is usually difficult and very expensive to close or move it to another location.

Strategic relationships. Sometimes it is better to handle logistics yourself, in other cases it is advisable to use the services of specialized structures. This type of activity is called outsourcing, engaging a third party or contract logistics.

Organization of auxiliary processes, i.e. such activities that contribute to the effective operation of the LC. These include: organization of equipment maintenance, information technology for information processing, electronic data exchange, use of the Internet, various MP management systems, for example, “just in time”, etc. The idea of ​​improving support processes becomes extremely important in cases where competing organizations, for objective reasons, have equally effective supply chain structures. In this case, competitive advantages may lie in better organization of support processes.

Strategy is the company’s choice of key directions for its development, setting a global goal with further development of ways to achieve it. In other words, a strategy describes the principle course of action chosen to achieve stated goals. The concept of “strategy” is also used in logistics, but has a somewhat narrow meaning. Here are several definitions of “logistics strategy”:

Logistics strategy is a long-term, qualitatively defined direction of logistics development, concerning the forms and means of its implementation in the company, inter-functional and inter-organizational coordination, formulated by the company’s top management in accordance with corporate goals. (V.I. Sergeev)

Logistics strategy represents decision-making and installation rules that guide the development process of an enterprise’s logistics system. Accordingly, logistics employees are guided by these rules in their logistics activities.

A logistics strategy is a generalizing model of actions necessary to achieve set goals through the coordination and distribution of enterprise resources.

An organization's logistics strategy consists of all strategic decisions, techniques, plans and culture related to supply chain management and allows for the implementation of an already formed strategy for the enterprise as a whole. (Donald Waters)

Strategic logistics management is an activity related to setting goals and objectives of the enterprise’s logistics system and maintaining relationships between the enterprise and the external environment, which enable the enterprise to achieve its goals, correspond to its internal resource capabilities and allow it to remain susceptible to external environmental factors. (Drucker P.)

According to experts, about 3% of Russian companies currently have a clearly developed logistics strategy. This is precisely what explains the fact that in the USA and Western Europe the share of logistics costs in the price of a product is only 11-12%, while in Russia it is up to 24%. The difference in these indicators is the price we pay for the lack of focus on the development of logistics.

(http://www.iteam.ru/publications/logistics/section_80/article_3430/)

There are different approaches to developing a logistics strategy. Each approach has its supporters and opponents, and it is difficult to argue about the greater effectiveness of one over the other. The difference lies only in the number and sequence of development stages. In order to have the most complete picture of the development of a logistics strategy, we present one of the most detailed approaches to the development of a logistics strategy:

Stage 1. Determination of the general tasks and goals of the unit.

As basic information for developing a functional logistics strategy, you must use:

• 1. statement of the company’s corporate strategy;
• 2. data from interviews with senior management about their expectations from logistics;
• 3. SWOT analysis data;
• 4. audit data of the company’s logistics processes.

The result of the first stage of developing a logistics strategy will be:

• 1. report on the results of diagnosing the current state;
• 2 recommendations regarding the goals of the logistics department, formed and presented to senior management by the logistics manager;
• 3. a general vision for the development of the logistics strategy agreed with management.

Stage 2. Formalization of the supply chain managed by the division.

Considering that in most cases the company’s logistics is not limited to just one branch, it is necessary to determine/consider:

• 1. company supply chain;
• 2 level/depth of circuit control.

The efficiency of the supply chain can be assessed using Scheme 1.

The result of the second stage is having a clear idea of ​​the supply chain design and possible ways to optimize it.

Stage 3. Definition/systematization of functions managed by departments and development of a KPI system. Development of a results-based management system.

Considering that logistics is a complex discipline that includes a fairly large number of functions, it is necessary to clearly define which functions should be managed by the logistics of a particular organization at each link in the supply chain. In fact, it is necessary to decompose the previously developed functional strategy into operational elements.

At the same time, it is important to clearly define the operational elements that are present in the company’s logistics at all links of the supply chain, for example, take 13 key logistics functions as a basis:

• 1. customer service;
• 2. demand forecasting;
• 3. inventory management;
• 4. logistics communications;
• 5. cargo handling;
• 6. order processing;
• 7. packaging;
• 8. supplying consumers with spare parts and providing them with assistance during maintenance;
• 9. selection of locations for production and storage facilities;
• 10. supply/purchasing;
• 11. logistics of return flows;
• 12. transportation;
• 13. warehousing and storage.

Then it is necessary to prioritize certain functions depending on the specifics of the business and eliminate elements that are missing in the logistics of a particular organization. Experts also recommend consolidation (since many of the operational elements are very closely interrelated), thereby reducing the number of operational strategies.

For each operational strategy, it is necessary to determine a sufficient list of KPIs that allows high-quality management of the selected operational elements. It is important to remember that management does not just mean monitoring developed KPIs, but developing target values ​​and achieving them. Those. the result of the third stage will be a developed system of operational strategies that are subject to the principles of results-based management:

Stage 4. Assessment of the required level of information exchange and distribution of competencies among functions.

Knowledge of the key controlled elements at all links in the chain allows us to formulate requirements for the required level of information exchange and distribution of competencies. To do this, you will need to determine the real tasks of the personnel using:

• 1. photographs of the working day in the context of daily, weekly, etc. tasks with control of the time spent on their execution;
• 2. request for the necessary information exchange between logistics and external departments;
• 3. comparison of the obtained data for sufficiency for monitoring KPIs and execution of functional and operational strategies.

The result of this stage is:

• 1. redistribution/supplement of the information exchange matrix;
• 2. redistribution of responsibilities between existing employees;
• 3. formation of functions/positions that are missing in the current structure, but necessary for the high-quality execution of the stated strategies.

Stage 5. Development of a system of necessary powers/responsibilities of the unit.

The developed information exchange matrix allows us to formulate clear requirements for obligations and authorities for both logistics and external departments, because Only in the case of a clear correspondence of requirements and powers is effective business management possible.

As a result, the fifth stage will allow:

• 1. assess the level of necessary changes;
• 2. develop technical specifications for the necessary changes to the information system;
• 3. make a clear distribution of powers and responsibilities between logistics and other departments;
• 4. formalize the information exchange system.

Stage 6. Development of the target organizational structure.

At this stage, we already have all the necessary information to formulate a plan for the transition to an effective organizational structure. And the task is to form a target organizational structure that is the most optimal for the execution of the stated strategy. This structure should provide, within the framework of an agreed information exchange system:

• 1. high-quality control over the implementation of all strategic plans declared during the formation of functional and operational logistics strategies;
• 2. high-quality management of the KPI system within the framework of results-based management;
• 3. requirements for the competencies of all applied positions.

Stage 7. Development of steps for transition from the current situation to the target one.

In most cases, it is impossible to immediately transition to the optimal structure and begin the execution of all stated strategies, because the necessary changes require time and resources. Therefore, we need a clear plan for the phased implementation of the stated strategies. In this case, the stages must be formed so that the effect is maximum and the goals are realistic. And for this:

• 1. it is enough to go from simple to complex;
• 2. primarily carry out changes that do not entail fundamental restructuring or budget increases;
• 3. maintain a clear correspondence between responsibility and authority;
• 4. if a change in structure requires resources (IT, etc.), then any changes in authority/responsibility should be made only after the necessary resources are provided;
• 5. set intermediate strategic goals;
• 6. carry out changes not personally, but through continuous personnel development.

Only in this way, step by step, can a logistics system be formed that ensures control of all dedicated functions throughout the managed supply chain. Only in this case can logistics be called optimal and efficient, because It is the achievement of specific stated and agreed upon strategic goals that is the criterion of its effectiveness. (Alexander Sementsov, Managing Director for Logistics at AppleCity. The article was published in Loginfo magazine, No. 1-2, 2007.)

Option #5

1.Logistics strategies.

1.1. Introduction……………………………………………………………3

Definition of logistics strategy………………..3

1.2. Basic logistics strategies…………………4

1.3. Logistics strategies in action…………………..6

2. Warehousing logistics

2.1.Introduction…………………………………………………………….13

Definition of warehousing logistics………………..13

2.2. The role of warehousing in the logistics system.........15

2.3. The concept of a warehouse, its types and functions………………….18

2.4. Structure of the warehousing system.

Containers and packaging in the warehouse system…………………..22

2. 5.Warehousing efficiency.

Key indicators of warehouse activities……….26

Bibliography

1.1.Introduction

As legislation improved, the economy strengthened and the situation in the country stabilized, first trading and then foreign manufacturing companies entered the Russian market. Having a business development strategy worked out and tested in practice in other countries and possessing great financial capabilities, they began to penetrate various sectors of the Russian economy and create infrastructure. Large foreign companies have developed development plans for at least 5-10 years, which undoubtedly gives a global advantage over companies that do not have clear development strategies. They operate on the basis of the most modern technologies developed in specialized scientific institutes and laboratories. For Russian companies (both trading and manufacturing), the ongoing changes in the market require an adequate approach and restructuring, first of all, of the planning and management system of production processes in the company, process optimization.

Such a change in the situation requires company managers to develop and necessarily apply a carefully thought-out and calculated development strategy for at least 3-5 years if they want to gain a foothold or simply survive. This time period allows you to use the capital invested in the construction of warehouses and other facilities. When planning the company's activities for a period of 5 to 10 years, it becomes possible to recoup the invested funds and calculate the use of the facility for business development while minimizing costs. Due to the fact that the company’s logistics strategy is aimed at optimizing the company’s resources when managing main and related flows. From which we can conclude that it is necessary to develop and apply your own logistics strategy for a company of any level.

Defining a logistics strategy

logistics strategy - This is a long-term, qualitatively defined direction of logistics development, concerning the forms and means of its implementation in the company, interfunctional and interorganizational coordination and integration, formulated by the company’s top management in accordance with corporate goals.

1.2. Basic logistics strategies.

Strategy	Ways of implementation
Minimizing overall logistics costs	Reducing logistics costs in individual logistics functions; Optimization of inventory levels in the logistics system; Selection of optimal options for “warehousing - transportation” (switching from one logistics function to an alternative); Optimization of solutions in individual functional areas and/or logistics functions according to the criterion of minimum logistics costs; and so on.
Improving the quality of logistics services	Improving the quality of logistics operations and functions (transportation, warehousing, cargo handling, packaging, etc.); Pre-sales and after-sales service support; Value added service; Use of logistics technologies to support the product life cycle; Creation of a quality management system for logistics services; Certification of the company's quality management system in accordance with national and international standards and procedures (in particular ISO 9000); etc.
Minimizing investments in logistics infrastructure	Optimization of logistics network configuration: direct delivery of goods to consumers, bypassing warehousing; use of public warehouses; the use of logistics intermediaries in transportation, warehousing, and cargo processing; use of just-in-time logistics technology; optimization of the location of logistics infrastructure facilities, etc.
Logistics outsourcing	Make or buy decision; Focusing the company on its core competencies, searching for logistics intermediaries to perform non-key functions; Optimization of the selection of sources of external resources; Optimal location of production facilities and logistics infrastructure facilities; Application of supplier innovations; optimization of the number of logistics intermediaries and the functions assigned to them.

As can be seen from the above examples, logistics strategies are built on the basis of optimization of one key indicator, for example, total logistics costs, quality of service, productivity, return on investment in logistics infrastructure, etc. However, it is necessary (as for most single-criteria optimization problems) to enter restrictions on other indicators that are significant from the point of view of the company's strategy. For an example of a strategy for minimizing total logistics costs, such an indicator (system of indicators) will be the quality of logistics service. In general, the higher the consumer requirements for the level of quality of logistics services, the higher the logistics costs that ensure this level should be. Therefore, a natural limitation (set by corporate strategy) is a limitation (company standard) on the basic level of quality of consumer service. In some cases, the strategy for minimizing total logistics costs can be transformed into a strategy for maximizing the ratio: level of service quality/total logistics costs. The problem of implementing a logistics strategy to minimize overall logistics costs is complicated by the weak formalizability of logistics service quality parameters and the subjectivity of assessing the quality of service on the part of consumers. The desire, if possible, to take into account most of the key factors in the logistics strategy formed by the company obviously leads to the need to use the multi-criteria optimization methodology. However, the application of this approach is still hampered by a number of reasons, mainly related to the insufficient development of methods and information and software support for such optimization, as well as the high level of uncertainty in the LAN and the stochasticity of its parameters. As mentioned above, the chosen logistics strategy must, on the one hand, correspond to the corporate strategy, and on the other hand, be based on a specific logistics concept. For example, if a company applies a corporate strategy of concentrated growth by expanding the geography of sales markets, then, for example, a strategy of minimizing investments in logistics infrastructure with decentralization of the distribution of commodity flows and logistics management can be chosen as a logistics strategy. The main directions for implementing such a strategy will be the use of logistics intermediaries in distribution, the creation of a network of regional distribution centers, decentralized logistics management in designated sales regions and the creation of a distributed information system that supports logistics. If a company uses, for example, a marketing strategy to minimize the price of goods in a specific market segment, then the natural choice for the company is to use a strategy to minimize overall logistics costs. Both of these example strategies can be based on the concept of integrated logistics. Many of the world's leading companies emphasize strategic logistics, which is located outside the actual business structure, in order to be able to reach suppliers, intermediaries and customers.

1.3.Logistics strategies in action

1. "Nestlé Food". Corporation Societe pour I"Exportation des Produits Nestle S.A. has been represented on the Russian market since 1996. The main profile of the Nestlé Food company is the production and sale of food products.

Today, Nestlé Food (hereinafter referred to as the Company) is the leader in the Russian coffee market, chocolate market and baby food market. The Company is also very active in the production of ice cream and bouillon cubes. The Company's long-term success in the Russian market was achieved due to a number of factors. First of all, the Company has strengthened its position and expanded its presence in Russia through investments in local production and industrial infrastructure, active promotion of brands, as well as the constant expansion and development of the national sales network. The company owns controlling stakes in 7 factories producing various food products.

To manage logistics, the Company uses a divisional linear-functional structure. This structure allows for effective management of the Company’s logistics activities and provides for the functional division of managerial labor in structural divisions and the integration of the logistics process throughout the Company.

The Company's corporate strategy is to make long-term investments in production and logistics. As part of this strategy, the Company actively invests in local production, development of products that meet Russian tastes and traditions, and also uses local raw materials and components.

The main components of the Company's production and marketing strategy are:

• the desire to be a highly efficient manufacturer with low production costs and world-class product quality;
• development of new product release projects;
• application of modern production and information technologies;
• application of modern planning and management methods.

The key factors determining the competitiveness of the Company are a thorough study of the market, analysis, its dynamics, study of the relationships that develop between the company and consumers, analysis of the activities of competitors, forecasting market conditions, development of proposals for the release of new products, management of the range of products, formation of a brand policy, increasing the competitiveness of goods, developing a strategy and tactics for changing prices, establishing discounts and price premiums, accounting for marketing costs, advertising, personal selling, sales promotion.

The main objectives in corporate and marketing strategies are: the constant introduction of new approaches and innovative ideas in the strategic areas of quality, cost, differentiation and focus, as well as forecasting consumer demand and meeting it.

To support production, the Company uses a logistics concept/ERP system, which is considered as an effective tool for planning and implementing the company’s strategic goals in logistics, marketing, production, and finance.

The company has an extensive warehousing system; it uses only large regional or national warehouses, located mainly in close proximity to product manufacturers. The main task of a warehouse is to accumulate a balanced range of products to satisfy consumer demand.

Distribution of products from 7 factories is carried out only through the head office in Moscow and through regional representative offices of the Company. Distribution is an integral part of the Company’s logistics system, ensuring the most efficient organization of distribution of manufactured products. Distribution covers the entire chain of the distribution system: marketing, transportation, warehousing, etc.

The suppliers whose services the Company uses provide production units with components, semi-finished products, spare parts, raw materials, materials, labor, fuel and energy, and various services necessary for organizing the production and distribution of products.

The Company's main logistics strategy is the ECR (immediate response to market needs) strategy.

To assess the performance of logistics at the corporate level, the Company uses an information system that allows it to evaluate all aspects of logistics operations in accordance with the chosen logistics strategy. This is the first and most important condition for achieving high profits from the use of logistics.

A modern corporate information system of the ERP class has made it possible to integrate the management of material flows associated with procurement, transportation, warehousing, inventory storage and distribution. Modern logistics technologies used by the Company ensure timely receipt and processing of the necessary information in real time. The company views the computerization of all functional logistics departments as an important source of increased profits. The Company’s logistics are also being improved through close relationships and cooperation with business partners, suppliers, wholesalers, etc. For this purpose, the Company uses logistics technology and SCM software - “Supply Chain Management”. Careful development of logistics operations, attraction of qualified personnel and their further training ensure high-quality implementation of all logistics operations, contributing to profit growth and increasing the competitiveness of the Company.

The company uses several information systems: EME and Opal (warehouse and production accounting systems), which are used in every warehouse and production. These programs are united by the NEZUM accounting operating system (developed by Nestlé), which serves to coordinate supplies, production and distribution. For example, a supply chain coordination system consists of dividing physical flows into independent periods of transportation and storage, preparing information about the phase and state of the flow in real time. Thanks to the periodic modernization of these systems, the Company is able to constantly improve the management of increasingly complex logistics processes and increase business efficiency.

2. "Aventis Animal Nutrisyn Eurasia". Limited liability company "Aventis Animal Nutrition Eurasie" with 100% foreign capital, created by the decision of the sole founder - the joint stock company "Aventis Animal Nutrition S.A." (Aventis Animal Nutrition S.A), created under the laws of France, in accordance with the current legislation of the Russian Federation in April 2001.

The Aventis company (hereinafter referred to as the Company) is an international company with extensive experience in the field of agricultural production and pharmaceuticals. The company's head office is located in Strasbourg, France. The Company's main activities are scientific research in the field of nutrition and health of farm animals, production and sale of food and products related to the health of farm animals.

The company follows three strategies:

1. Increase your research and development efforts. By increasing its research and development capabilities, the Company is preparing for the future. Her research is aimed at finding:

• new ways to produce simpler, less expensive products; new technologies that improve the quality of products currently sold;
• new ways of using their products (for example, from individual vitamins “Aventis Animal Nutrision”, specially balanced vitamin mixtures were developed and introduced into production, taking into account different ages of birds and animals);
• new products that complement the Company's proprietary range of nutritional supplements and open new markets.

2. Use equipment that better responds to market changes and reduces production costs.

3. Strengthen the decentralization of business management in the regions in order to bring decisions aimed at promoting brands and improving customer service closer to regional production.

In the Russian market, the Company uses market and organizational opportunities to improve its position relative to competitors. The Company's senior management monitors trends in the raw materials market and determines options for the procurement department. The company constantly monitors trends in its industry and monitors what competitors are planning to do or are doing, and also tries to anticipate such changes. The Company ranks third in the global market. In Russia, the Company is a leader: 90% in the production of the product methionine, 68% in individual vitamins. The company competes on technology and individual products, prices, quality, product range, and technology for its promotion.

To implement marketing strategy The company carries out the following work:

• Establishment of licensing agreements with domestic producers.
• Investments in domestic producers.
• Advertising, public relations.
• Expansion of the product range.
• Inclusion of goods and services from other companies (foreign and domestic) into the product range.
• Lobbying interests in government agencies.
• Segmentation of clients (based on their significance in the Russian and CIS markets, profitability for the Company, commitment to the interests of the Company) in order to determine which companies need to be attracted to the client base.

Key elements of strategy The companies are as follows:

• Quality. The goal is to ensure continuous improvement of product quality, procurement of higher quality raw materials and components, which will reduce production costs and costs associated with internal quality control (zero defect plan, process quality control, quality certification). The company's technical department carries out quality certification, within the framework of which coordinated quality tests of a batch of goods take place and the buyer is provided with information about the test results. Investing in research projects, government agencies.
• Inventory Management. Analysis of operational information on inventories for all important items in the range of raw materials, supplies, and finished products, taking into account partnership agreements with key suppliers. Application of an information system for monitoring the timeliness of deliveries and purchases of goods.
• Logistics supply technologies. Electronic data exchange with key suppliers to simplify transactions and speed up interactions. The supply chain management concept provides for the integration of information flows from the supplier to the end consumer and the joint management of product inventories in the Company’s warehouses.
• Innovation. Offer the buyer innovative technical solutions and high-quality equipment for the production of premixes for farm animals from vitamins supplied by the Company.
• Purchase of material resources. Purchase of raw materials under your own brand. The company purchases raw materials for the production of individual vitamins from other companies (manufacturers), having an agreement with them to purchase raw materials and promote the product under its own brand.
• Purchase of finished products. Purchasing finished products from domestic manufacturers, which allows us to have a full range of products to meet the needs of the main clientele and make a profit.

Logistics strategy The company's goal is to provide high quality logistics services in supply while optimizing prices for purchased material resources and finished products under the influence of market conditions.

To implement this strategy, the Company envisages solving the following tasks:

1. Development of relationships with suppliers:

• Reasonable consideration of mutual corporate interests between suppliers and the Company.
• Establishing partnerships with suppliers, reserve suppliers for some products in order to reduce the risk of shortfalls to a minimum.
• Providing well-established information channels of communication with suppliers.
• A stable flow of accurate information about required supplies.
• Use of VMI and JIT logistics technologies.

2. Optimization of inventory levels in the warehouse system while ensuring the required level of customer service.

• Reducing inventories from 6 to 4 weeks for products supplied from France and establishing close cooperation with Russian suppliers, allowing us to have a minimum or no stock of products in the Company's warehouse, and deliver goods as orders are received from customers in a JIT mode.
• Management of order procedures (management and control of customer orders is carried out by the Customer Care department in collaboration with the logistics department and the commercial team) ensures high quality customer service with minimal safety stocks.
• Management of production inventories (the logistics department informs the manufacturer monthly about the needs for products three months in advance in order to plan production schedules, minimize the level of inventories of material resources and work in progress, and reduce the duration of the production cycle).

The optimization of procurement logistics parameters is based on:

1. Long-term partnerships for financing purchases with Aventis AN France, as well as with domestic suppliers.

2. Internal priorities of production and distribution, search for compromises between various structural divisions of the Company.

3. Taking into account differences in the supply of products from different nomenclature (assortment) groups:

• goods produced by Aventis AN France, which are delivered to the Company's warehouse according to calculations of needs and sales forecasts provided by the commercial group;
• goods, the need for which arises unexpectedly and do not require long-term storage, are purchased at a time close to their consumption. One-time supplies to meet the needs of the Company’s customers (domestic and foreign goods that expand the standard range);
• regular supplies that are delivered at regular intervals according to demand schedules.

To implement the logistics strategy and tactics as a whole, the Company uses the following priorities:

• Most stocks are insurance, not exceeding 4 weeks. There are no safety stocks for certain products.
• Maintaining long-term professional relationships with suppliers. For a number of products there are several suppliers, between whom competition is artificially maintained.
• Quality. The goal is zero defects.
• Effective information support for procurement procedures.

The Company's goal in logistics is to create a unified team, with minimal use of formal procedures and rules, in order to organize and execute an effective logistics process. The functional responsibilities of structural divisions and officials regarding parameters and processes related to logistics are technologically linked to the tasks performed by other divisions of the Company. There is a general organizational idea that directs all actions towards achieving the goals of the formulated logistics strategy.

The activities of the logistics department are aimed at integration of core logistics business processes and cross-functional coordination- maintaining relationships with manufacturers, with all functional departments of the company to solve complex, conflict problems arising at all levels of management:

• Logistics - senior management(implementation of corporate, marketing, production, logistics strategies).
• Logistics - customer care department(timely delivery of necessary products in required quantities to warehouses).
• Logistics - commercial team(planning inventory levels based on Sales Team sales forecasts).
• Logistics - technical department(timely provision of product samples for laboratory tests, scientific research, obtaining the necessary technical documentation).
• Logistics - accounting(timely provision of invoices, delivery notes for information processing, control over timely payment for goods delivered to warehouses).
• Logistics - logistics intermediary(control and management of transportation, warehousing and cargo processing, timely provision of necessary documents for import, customs clearance of cargo).

Main tasks of the logistics department: reduction of inventories, acceleration of the turnover of the company's working capital, control and management of inventory levels, optimization of logistics costs.

The efficiency of logistics in the Company in accordance with the chosen logistics strategy described above is largely determined by the integrated information system (ERP class) used, which affects all structural divisions, and also supports the operational exchange of data with the logistics intermediary, suppliers and consumers.

Integration of the logistics department with other functional divisions of the Company allows for the most complete consideration of time and space factors in the processes of optimizing the management of material, financial and information flows to achieve the company’s strategic and tactical goals in the market. Thus, interaction with sales managers makes it possible to make a more accurate forecast of consumer demand and, accordingly, reduce transportation costs and storage costs. Interaction with the technical department and senior management allows us to introduce a new product to the market at the right time and in the right quantity, expand the range in accordance with the Company’s marketing strategy in order to meet consumer demand and reduce product costs.

2. Warehousing logistics

2.1.Introduction

Warehousing is a logistics operation that consists of maintaining stocks by participants in the logistics channel and ensuring the safety of stocks, their rational placement, accounting, constant updating and safe working methods.

Warehousing logistics is a branch of logistics that deals with the development of methods for organizing warehousing, procurement systems, acceptance, placement, accounting of goods and inventory management in order to minimize costs associated with warehousing and processing of goods. This is also a complex of interrelated operations implemented in the process of transforming material flow in the warehouse sector.

Particular attention is paid to the role of warehousing in the logistics system, types and functions of warehouses, containers and packaging in the warehouse system and the main indicators of warehouse activity.

2.2. The role of warehousing in the logistics system

Warehousing covers many different components of a logistics system and for this reason does not fall under the strict classification schemes applied to activities such as order processing, inventory management or transportation. Typically, a warehouse is viewed as a place to store inventory. But in many logistics systems, its role is not so much in storage as in the distribution of products, thereby ensuring damping (smoothing) of inconsistencies at various kinds of junctions between the rate and nature of the receipt of these products, on the one hand, and consumption, on the other. Loading and unloading, sorting, picking and some specific technological operations are also carried out in warehouses.

The object of study of warehousing logistics is inventory in the process of warehousing, cargo processing and packaging.

The main tasks of warehousing logistics include:

Placement of a warehouse network;

Warehousing and preparation of cargo for delivery (production and other services);

Inventory management;

Organization of warehouse deliveries.

Recently, the main direction of development of the warehousing industry has been to increase the flexibility and efficiency of the use of information technology, which is necessary to meet the growing consumer requirements for assortment and delivery conditions. Improvements in information technology and automation of the warehouse process increase flexibility, enabling warehouse operators to respond more quickly to changes and evaluate performance results in a variety of conditions.

Thus, the creation of an extensive and automated warehouse facility is aimed at:

Ensuring the rhythm of teamwork, organization and operational interaction of various types of production and transport departments;

Smoothing out the unevenness of external supplies and organizing their receipt and use;

Accumulation of finished products and organization of their distribution in accordance with the actual receipt of orders from the clientele;

Ensuring the quality of raw materials, materials, components and finished products during storage, retrieval and delivery;

Rational use of space owned by enterprises and companies;

Reducing vehicle downtime, providing flexibility in choosing vehicles and determining transport volumes and, ultimately, reducing transportation costs

When analyzing the role and location of warehouses, it is advisable to consider them at different levels of the hierarchy:

At the national level, the problems of creating a warehouse system have, to a large extent, not technical, but economic, strategic and social aspects. They are associated with the creation of general structures for the system of material and technical supply of production with products for industrial and technical purposes, a unified transport system of the country, determining the number of warehouses that provide service to the entire country with an uninterrupted supply to customers, etc.

At the regional level, the importance of warehouses is great in connection with the development and creation of new territorial production complexes, in which it is advisable to create large integrated warehouse bases for types of industrial products (for supplying industrial units and manufacturing enterprises) and for types of consumer goods (for supply of the population).

At the local level of warehouse infrastructure, the placement and operation of warehouses significantly affects the cargo flows and transport of industrial areas and hubs, and the overall efficiency of industrial enterprises and transport.

The main reasons for using warehouses in a logistics system are:

1. reduction of logistics costs during transportation due to the organization of transportation in economical batches;

2. coordination and alignment of supply and demand in supply and distribution through the creation of insurance and seasonal reserves;

3. ensuring an uninterrupted production process by creating reserves of material and technical resources;

4. ensuring maximum satisfaction of consumer demand through the formation of a product range;

5. creating conditions for maintaining an active sales strategy;

6. increasing the geographical coverage of sales markets;

7. providing a flexible service policy.

2.3. The concept of a warehouse, its types and functions

There are two approaches to defining a warehouse. Firstly, a warehouse is understood as a complex technical structure, which consists of many interconnected elements that have a specific structure and are combined to perform specific functions for the accumulation and transformation of material flow. Secondly, a warehouse is an effective means of managing inventory in various parts of the logistics chain and managing material flow in general.

In the terminological dictionary of logistics, a warehouse is a building, structure, device intended for acceptance, placement, storage, preparation for production and personal consumption (cutting, packaging, etc.), searching, packaging, issuing various products to consumers.

A modern warehouse has its own specific structure and performs various functions. At the same time, the variety of its parameters, technological and space-planning solutions, equipment designs and characteristics of the processed product range classifies the warehouse as a complex system. At the same time, it is only an integrated component of a higher-level system - the logistics chain, which forms the basic, including technical, requirements for the warehouse system, sets goals and criteria for its optimal functioning, and dictates the conditions for the development of the warehousing system. Therefore, the problem of warehousing requires not only an individual technological, but also a certain logistics approach, based on linking the characteristics of incoming and outgoing flows, taking into account internal factors affecting warehousing cargo processing

Warehousing is understood as a combination of the following components:

Warehouse (warehouse premises and storage areas);

Loading, unloading systems (loading/unloading equipment)

Internal transport systems (conveyors, auto- and electric forklifts, trolleys, etc.);

Cargo processing systems (barcoding systems, packaging and packaging lines, sorting)

Cargo storage systems (racks, special containers, special equipment to preserve the quality of cargo).

Cargo warehouse accounting systems.

Warehouses of different design varieties can be combined into a warehouse system.

One of the simplest options for organizing a warehouse is a branched structure. In such a structure, any accumulation point serves as a warehouse - a source for several other points.

A further development of such a system is a layered structure, consisting of several hierarchical levels - storage echelons.

In such a system, requests from consumers arrive only at the lower level, that is, requests from technological equipment only reach department warehouses.

One of the most modern forms of organizing and maintaining warehousing is the organization of warehouse stores. A store-warehouse is a warehouse with varying degrees of mechanization and automation, designed for storage, placement and retrieval of commodity-piece products in a multi-item assortment. If there is a surplus in the warehouse in excess of the planned transit volume, it is allowed to promptly sell it to small wholesale buyers. For this purpose, a sales area and reception, picking and dispatch areas necessary for small-scale wholesale trade, as well as administrative and service premises, are created at the warehouse.

Warehouse functions

Warehousing creates economic and service benefits. Economic benefits can be said when the use of one or more warehouses leads to a direct reduction in overall logistics costs. Economic benefits are closely related to the main functions that warehouses perform: consolidation, unbundling, transshipment, rework/postponement and stockpiling.

Cargo consolidation. Warehousing creates economic benefits by consolidating shipments. The warehouse receives products intended for a specific customer from manufacturing enterprises and forms a larger mixed shipment from it. The benefits include a maximum reduction in transport costs and the fact that there is no traffic congestion at the customer's unloading site.

To ensure the effectiveness of shipment consolidation operations, each enterprise must use the warehouse as the next point on the way to the consumer for storing manufactured products, as well as as a point for sorting and assembling cargo shipments. The main advantage of consolidation is the ability to enlarge consignments of goods sent to a specific sales area.

Disaggregation and transshipment of goods en route. These operations are similar to those performed by a consolidating warehouse, only they do not include a storage function. At the same time, cargo from manufacturers destined for several customers is delivered to the sorting terminal (disaggregation warehouse), they are sorted into smaller lots in accordance with orders and sent (delivered) to each consumer. Cargo is delivered to the sorting terminal in large quantities, which saves transportation costs and facilitates the organization of transportation.

The transshipment terminal provides similar services, but always works with several manufacturers. The use of transshipment terminals is typical for supplying retail trade with popular goods. The economic benefit of this scheme is that transportation from manufacturers to the warehouse and from the warehouse to retailers is carried out with vehicles loaded at the full transit rate, and since the products are not stored in the warehouse, storage costs are also saved, and thanks to the full load of vehicles, optimizing the use of warehouse loading and unloading areas.

Rework/postponement. The warehouse can also be used to delay the finalization or assembly of light industrial products. A warehouse that has facilities to mark or label products allows the final production of a product to be delayed until there is actual demand for it. The economic benefits of such a service are associated, firstly, with minimizing risk, since final processing and packaging is carried out only after a certain customer has appeared with his own requirements for labeling and packaging, and secondly, with a reduction in inventory, since for the same Products can be labeled differently and packaged differently. Reduced risk and inventory levels often lead to lower overall logistics costs, even though labeling and packaging costs more in the warehouse than at the manufacturing plant.

Stockpiling. This function is typical for some industries whose products are seasonal and require long-term storage. The accumulation of inventories creates a kind of protective barrier that allows for efficient production under conditions of restrictions associated with sources of resources and fluctuations in consumer demand. Thus, the asynchrony of the production process is smoothed out.

Service benefits are the second group of warehouse functions. The service benefits of warehouse operations may or may not be accompanied by cost savings. The service benefits of a warehouse are spoken of if the main task of the warehouse is to enhance the ability of the entire logistics system as a whole to create space and time utility. This is difficult to quantify directly because it requires a comparison of costs and service levels.

Warehousing provides five types of service functions:

1. Bringing stocks closer to the market. Most often used in physical distribution. Manufacturers of seasonal or limited ranges of products resort to this rather than storing inventory in commercial warehouses all year round or supplying markets directly from production plants. This allows you to move inventory to major markets at any convenient time to reduce delivery times. An example is suppliers of fertilizers and pesticides who turn to such practices during crop growing periods. At the end of the season, unsold product stocks are returned to the central warehouse.

2. Formation of a market assortment. An assortment warehouse - a warehouse that can be used by a manufacturer, a wholesaler, or a retailer - accumulates market assortment in anticipation of consumer orders. This may be a mixed assortment, consisting of many types of products supplied to the market by different manufacturers, or a special assortment compiled at the request of a specific customer. The formation of a market assortment differs from the approach of goods to the market in the intensity and duration of use of warehouse facilities. To bring products closer to market, a firm typically holds a narrow range of products in inventory and stores them for extended periods in many small warehouses located near specific markets. Assortment warehouses, on the contrary, are few in number, located in strategically important locations, operate all year round and stock a wide range of goods.

3. Completing mixed shipments at the warehouse. Reminiscent of the process of disaggregation and sorting, only this operation can cover several shipments from the manufacturer. When enterprises are dispersed, re-sorting and transit picking of goods at an intermediate warehouse allows reducing transport costs and the volume of warehouse stocks. The cost-effectiveness of completing mixed shipments at intermediate warehouses is traditionally supported by special tariffs, which are a type of transit discount. A warehouse that carries out transit picking of cargo shipments ensures a reduction in the total volume of inventories in the logistics system. This feature is seen as a service benefit, as shipments are selected exactly according to the customer's specifications.

4. Logistics support for production. The economics of production sometimes require a fairly large stock of some components. In such cases, warehouses gradually supply materials and parts to the assembly plant. The creation of safety stocks of products purchased from external suppliers may be justified either by the length of the delivery period or by fluctuations in production requirements. In such cases, the most economical solution is to create sufficient inventories in the production logistics warehouse, from where materials, parts and finished components arrive on the assembly line in a timely manner and at low cost.

5. Effect of presence on the market. This effect is based on the idea that a local warehouse allows for greater flexibility in responding to customer demands and making deliveries than if operations are carried out from distant warehouses. Therefore, locating warehouses close to local markets helps increase market share and increase profits.

Thus, warehouse services are very diverse and are not limited to simple storage of inventories. In fact, many of them actually reduce the need for current inventory.

2.4. Structure of the warehousing system. Containers and packaging in the warehouse system

A warehousing system is a set of interconnected elements organized in a certain way, ensuring the optimal placement of material flow in a warehouse and its rational management.

The structure of the warehousing system is formed by technical-economic, functional and support subsystems.

The technical and economic subsystem consists of a set of elements that characterize the technical and technological parameters of the warehouse and equipment, and types of commodity carriers.

Elements of the functional subsystem determine the process of cargo handling in the warehouse.

Elements of the supporting subsystem provide information and computer support, legal, organizational, economic, environmental, and ergonomic support for the effective functioning of the warehouse network.

The structure of the warehousing system is designed taking into account the location of the warehouse in the logistics system, the goals and objectives of its creation, and the nomenclature of the processed material flow. The organization of connections between the elements of each subsystem should ensure comprehensive integration of all elements of the warehousing system, their prompt and reliable interaction.

The entire technical variety of warehouses is largely determined by the cargo unit used and the container or packaging in which it is stored. The determination of the storage method, the selection of the necessary equipment, lifting and transport mechanisms and the calculation of their parameters, the determination of the required areas, the type of premises, the organization of the unloading/unloading process, placement, storage, search, etc. depend on this.

Currently, unified packaging has become especially popular. Its use reduces the labor intensity of loading and unloading operations, improves the quality of storage and search efficiency and, most importantly, allows you to achieve a high level of mechanization and automation.

Modern storage systems are increasingly focusing on the use of containers.

According to the definition given by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a container is an element of transport equipment, reusable on one or more modes of transport, intended for the transportation and temporary storage of goods, equipped with devices and for mechanized installation and removal from vehicles, having constant technical characteristics and capacity of at least 1 m3.

A device for storing cargo units together with equipment for mechanization and automation of various warehouse operations are located in suitably defined warehouse areas. In this case, the following must be determined:

Useful warehouse area, that is, the area directly occupied by stored goods; it is usually determined on the basis of current standards for permissible load per unit of floor area or on the basis of standards for the degree of filling of the warehouse volume with stored material;

The area required to perform acceptance and release operations (dimensions of acceptance and release areas);

Service area (office area to accommodate management personnel);

Auxiliary area, including determination of the size of aisles and passages depending on the standard sizes of stored materials, the type and design of the mechanization equipment used and the intensity of cargo turnover. This also includes determining, in accordance with current standards, the height of warehouses to the level of trusses or rafters.

Having determined the total total area of ​​the warehouse, you need to make sure whether the usable area of ​​the warehouse is within that portion of the total area that is permissible for this type of warehouse.

Packaging has a significant impact on the costs and performance of the logistics system. Elements of such costs are the costs of purchasing packaging materials, establishing manual or automated packaging operations, and subsequent disposal of packaging materials.

There are two types of packaging: consumer packaging, which is addressed to the final consumer of goods and, therefore, performs marketing functions, and industrial packaging, which ensures the convenience of logistics operations.

Consumer packaging is developed for reasons of convenience for the consumer, attractiveness to customers, efficient use of retail space and protection of goods from damage. If the packaging attracts the attention of the consumer with its unusual shape and dimensions, for the same reasons it is unacceptable for logistics, since a well-thought-out packaging design must necessarily take into account the requirements of all components of the logistics system.

Industrial packaging and enlarged cargo units are the main objects of cargo processing in the logistics channel.

Packaging in logistics performs three main functions: protection from damage, ensuring ease of transportation and handling, and information.

Protection against damage and theft is the main function of industrial packaging during storage and transportation. To achieve these goals, it is necessary to select packaging that matches the characteristics of the product and find the right combination of material and packaging design. The main factors in this case are the value (cost) and strength of the product: the more expensive the product, the more reliable the packaging should be. But, if an expensive product is fragile, then the costs of absolute protection will also be very high.

The reliability of packaging is determined by the environmental influences it is exposed to during storage and transportation.

The usefulness of packaging is determined by its impact on the efficiency and productivity of logistics activities. The performance indicators of all logistics operations depend on the usefulness or manufacturability of packaging - from the productivity of loading rolling stock and the selection of orders in the warehouse to the utilization rate of warehouse space and the cargo capacity of vehicles.

The packaging information function plays a key role in cargo identification, tracking and handling, thereby becoming increasingly important for the ultimate success of the entire logistics channel.

The most obvious purpose of packaging is to inform participants in the logistics channel about its contents, i.e., about the goods placed in the package. Typically, such information includes information about the manufacturer, the name of the container, the quantity of products and their number according to the universal product code. The information printed on the packaging serves to “recognize” cargo when receiving orders, selecting and checking shipments. The main requirement for marking is visibility.

Another important purpose of packaging in logistics is information support for monitoring the passage of goods. A well-established cargo handling system continuously tracks the movement of products through the stages of receiving, storage, order selection and dispatch. Such control over all movements of goods reduces losses and theft of goods and. very useful for monitoring the dynamics of worker productivity.

Finally, the packaging must contain information to prevent damage to the product during handling. In particular, it must be marked to indicate the need for special handling of fragile items, temperature limits, specific stacking requirements or environmental restrictions. When working with hazardous substances, information on the packaging or accompanying documentation must contain instructions in case of leakage or damage to the container.

2.5. Warehousing efficiency. Key indicators of warehouse activity

Different warehouses are characterized by their own structural and design features, which is manifested in the specific values ​​of the parameters as a whole, as well as the parameters of individual pieces of equipment. Such warehouses can be built into various parts of the production and distribution system. It is only necessary that this system, with the presence of warehouses, should function more economically than without them.

This general problem of warehouse efficiency breaks down into several specific problems. The successful solution of each of them turns out to be a step towards achieving the efficiency of the warehouse industry as a whole. These particular tasks are:

Deciding on the need for a warehouse (or is it better to use direct and supply);

The choice between organizing your own warehouse and using a shared one;

Determination of the total number of warehouses;

Determining the size of each warehouse and its location;

Selection of scheme and organization of the storage process.

Solutions to these problems have not yet been fully formalized or algorithmized. Estimated calculations performed in connection with one or another choice are additional and testing in nature.

The decision about whether a Warehouse is needed at all or whether it is more profitable to carry out direct deliveries is made on the basis of calculating the economic consequences of both options and comparing them.

There are both factors acting in favor of the decision to create or acquire your own warehouse, and factors acting in the opposite direction.

In conditions of consistently high turnover in a well-known market with constant sales, it is advisable to have your own warehouses both for raw materials and other goods necessary for the production cycle, as well as for finished products and for organizing their subsequent sales

On the contrary, it is better to resort to the services of public warehouses when there are low levels of turnover or the seasonal nature of inventories. It is advisable to use such warehouses when developing a new market, when the level and stability of sales and purchases are completely unknown in advance.

The system of indicators reflecting the efficiency of the logistics process in a warehouse can be divided into five groups:

1. Indicators characterizing the degree of satisfaction of consumer requests.

2. Indicators reflecting the quality of warehouse operation.

3. Quantitative, temporary indicators..

4. Cost indicators.

5. Indicators reflecting financial and economic results.

The first group includes consumers’ assessment of the level of order fulfillment, the return of goods by consumers associated with incorrect packaging, packaging violations, the number of delays in the shipment of goods, consumer complaints, indicators characterizing the level of service, etc.

The second group of indicators partly complements the first, but contains indicators that directly characterize the quality of the warehouse. They, in turn, can be divided into indicators that reflect the accuracy of fulfillment of order parameters (meeting deadlines, volume, quality, assortment of order components, etc.), ensuring order fulfillment (accuracy of maintaining inventory levels, availability of stocks, compliance with storage conditions etc.), compliance with the internal operating conditions of the warehouse (cases of loss, damage, theft, etc.).

The third group of indicators reflects the time of logistics cycles: time to replenish stocks, process consumer orders, deliver orders, prepare and complete orders, purchase goods, etc.

The fourth group includes costs for inventory management, costs for intra-warehouse transportation, cargo handling, storage, packaging and other logistics costs.

The indicators of the fifth group reflect financial and economic results and are a set of derived indicators from the first four groups. These include: inventory turnover (time and number of revolutions), average level of inventory in the warehouse, use of warehouse volume, warehouse capacity, number of shipments per unit of warehouse capacity, number of cargo handling operations per day, logistics costs per unit of turnover at a given time interval, turnover invested capital in fixed assets of the warehouse, payback period for fixed assets and investments, costs of commissioning, packaging and other services per unit of turnover, profitability, etc.

In addition to the listed groups of indicators, indicators related to determining the total warehouse area are highlighted.

The main warehouse area includes useful (cargo), operational and service areas.

Useful (cargo) area - the area occupied directly by stored material assets and devices for their storage (racks, stacks). The useful area of ​​a warehouse can be calculated in two ways: by the load per 1 m2 of floor area (useful area is equal to the ratio of the maximum amount of material reserves in the warehouse to the permissible load per 1 m2 of floor area); according to volumetric meters, the area is equal to the product of the area occupied by one rack and the number of required racks.

Operational area - the area occupied by receiving, sorting, picking and release areas.

Office area is the area occupied by office and other service and household premises and calculated depending on the number of workers.

Auxiliary - the area occupied by driveways and walkways and determined according to the building codes and regulations. The total warehouse area is the sum of the main and auxiliary warehouse areas. The ratio of the total area to the useful area is called the utilization rate of warehouse premises.

Bibliography

1. LOGINFO magazine No. 8 2006, article “The presence of a logistics strategy and the competitiveness of the company”, S. Taran

2. V.I.Sergeev., A.I.Semenenko, Logistics. Basic theory

Moscow: Union, 2006, series "Higher Education"

3. Dybskaya V.V., Sergeev V.I. Corporate logistics strategies and technologies: choice and methods of implementation. - M., 2003.

4. Kanke A.A., Koshevaya I.P. Logistics: textbook. – 2nd ed., rev. And additional – M.: Publishing House “Forum”: INFRA – M, 2007

5. Nerush Yu.M. Logistics: textbook. 3rd ed.: UNITY-DANA PUBLISHING HOUSE LLC, 2002

An organization's logistics strategy includes all kinds of strategic decisions, techniques, plans and cultures related to supply chain management, and makes it possible to implement the already formed strategy of the company as a whole. There are situations when the level of development of logistics in a particular organization has a significant impact on the formation of the overall strategy of the organization.

In the course of managing a logistics system, absolutely any organization makes important decisions, which can be divided into four main classes:

• 1. Strategic decisions of the highest level are the most important, determining the general direction of the enterprise’s economic activity; they are long-term in nature, require large expenditures of resources and are considered the most risky. Top level solutions include:
  • - mission - a statement that indicates the overall goals of the organization, usually related to improving work with partners and customers in an integrated supply chain. For example, the mission of the German transport group Schenker states that “our future is our customers,” and the mission of the English supermarket chain Tesco is “creating value for consumers to achieve their lifelong loyalty”;
  • - corporate strategy is a plan for implementing the mission, for example, the implementation of long-term investments in production and logistics; continuous introduction of new approaches and innovative ideas in the strategic areas of quality, cost, differentiation and focus, as well as forecasting consumer demand;
  • - business strategy - a set of actions to form and develop the type of activity of a certain division of an enterprise (business unit).
• 2. Strategic logistics decisions determine the key goals and directions of the supply chain in the long term and relate to the interaction of logistics with other areas of business; As an example, the following main goals of the company are: the desire to be a highly efficient manufacturer with low production costs and world-class product quality; development of new projects to produce new products; use of modern production and information technologies; use of modern planning and management methods.

Strategic logistics solutions include:

• - functional strategy - a plan for the implementation of each function of the company: logistics, marketing, investment and production;
• - logistics strategy - sets the general structure of the logistics system, or supply chain and the direction of logistics activities; it contains all the strategic decisions, techniques, plans and cultures associated with managing efficient logistics in the supply chain: procurement-production-distribution. Logistics strategy deals with the actual movement of material and related flows that contribute to the implementation of corporate and business strategies, as well as optimizing the supply and demand of products, reducing overall logistics costs, minimizing logistics investments and improving logistics services. The overall goal of a logistics strategy is to provide customers with the required volume and quality of service at minimal cost in the supply chain. It is no coincidence that the motto of a perfect ECR (immediate response to market needs) logistics strategy is: “Required, timely and accurate.”
• 3. Tactical logistics decisions are related to the implementation of the strategy at a more specific level in the medium term. These include:
  • - plans for using the organization’s capacities to ensure satisfaction of long-term consumer demand;
  • - generalized calendar plans - plans that summarize all types of work for all types of supply chain activities on a monthly basis;
  • - master schedule - a detailed description of all kinds of activities for the week;
• 4. Operational logistics decisions concern certain activities in the short term; their execution requires a small investment of resources with a minimal level of risk. These include short-term schedules, which represent the detailed execution of work and the resources required for this on each day. This makes it possible to avoid a wide variety of logistics problems.

In real life, the boundaries between these decisions are sometimes very blurred. For example, when choosing a system for distributing finished goods, inventory is a strategic aspect, but it moves to the tactical level, when it is necessary to decide how much money to invest in inventory, and to the operational level, when it is necessary to decide how to change the amount of inventory.

There is no universal, routine procedure for developing a logistics strategy applicable to any organization. The concept of forming a logistics strategy implies, first of all, the search for answers to the following main questions:

• 1. What type of organization do we imagine today, and what type do we want in the future?
• 2. What are the features of our activities and opportunities for its development?
• 3. Who are our consumers (buyers) and competitors?
• 4. What are our strengths and weaknesses compared to our competitors?
• 5. Which marketing (product) strategy is most suitable for us?
• 6. What are the main goals and objectives of the logistics strategy?
• 8. What budget is needed to implement the logistics plan and where to get new investments?
• 9. How to organize monitoring of the implementation of the strategic plan?
• 10. What should be the most relevant programs to achieve the goals of the logistics strategy?
• 11. What are the risks associated with executing a logistics strategy?
• 12. How to quantify the implementation of a logistics strategy?

The results of the answers serve as the basis for designing a logistics strategy (Fig. 1). - .

According to the diagram below, designing a logistics strategy contains the following stages of activity:

• 1. Analyze higher level strategies such as mission, corporate and business strategies. The logistics strategy should work to support them and show by what means the goals will be achieved.
• 2. Summarizing the results obtained in the form of a logistics mission - a statement of the goals of supply chain management.
• 3. Research of the external and internal spheres of business to determine trends in their changes for a period of 5-10 years.
• 4. preference for the focus and type of logistics strategy, as well as an assessment of its relationship with marketing and production strategies.
• 5. Determination of goals, objectives and risks of logistics activities.

One of the main decisions made by logistics service managers is the choice of focus, that is, the direction of the logistics strategy. Experts identify the following strategic focuses of the organization’s activities, taking into account important criteria for ensuring logistics advantages:

• 1. “Costs” - minimizing overall logistics costs that help reduce the price of the product (consumer benefit) and increase profits (seller benefit).
• 2. “Quality” - high quality of the goods and services offered.
• 3. “Consumer service” - high speed of response to consumer requests and security of supply in relation to the number of products ordered.
• 4. “Time parameters” - timely delivery of products to the customer and provision of data on all stages of product promotion.
• 5. “Technology” - development and application of modern technologies for product production, identification, delivery tracking, inventory management and electronic sales.
• 6. “Flexibility” - producing products according to customer requirements or providing him with specialized services, as well as prompt response to changes in consumer demand.
• 7. “Location” - provision of goods and services in the most advantageous location for the client.
• 8. “Investment” - minimizing investments in the logistics system through the use of public warehouses and logistics intermediaries.

Figure 1 Designing a logistics strategy

In practice, it is impossible to implement all the presented directions at the same time. In this regard, companies are forced to make compromises by balancing the level of services with the costs of providing them. This factor formed the basis for the classification of the main logistics strategies presented in Table. 1. - own development.

Table 1 Classification of the main logistics strategies used in all areas of logistics (universal).

Name		Principles of formation
"Skinny" strategy	Efficient operations from a minimum perspective: resource costs, production waste, lead times and inventory levels	1. Value - designing products that have high value for the client. 2. Value transfer - designing the best process to produce a product. 3. Value stream - productive management of the integrated supply chain. 4. “Pull” - releasing products only based on customer requests. 5. Striving for excellence - searching for opportunities to eliminate unproductive costs of all types of resources, for example, eliminating unproductive operations, simplifying movements, eliminating unnecessary links in the supply chain, locating facilities closer to customers.
Dynamic strategy	Efficiency and flexibility ensuring high quality customer service	1. The desire to fully satisfy consumer requests based on an analysis of changes in market demand. 2. Convenient access for consumers to their company. 3. Mandatory after-sales service, the value of having satisfied customers. 4. Maintain a reputation for quality and value as a condition for future business. 5. Do not forget about preparing future transactions, maintaining contact information with your current and potential consumers, partners and competitors.
Strategy based on the organization's partnership with suppliers and customers	Increasing the efficiency of the integrated supply chain	1. Rapid adoption of logistics decisions by optimizing the management apparatus. 2. Stability, ensuring the likelihood of long-term planning. 3. Widespread use of modern methods of electronic information exchange and logistics information systems.
Time-Based Strategies	Ensure fast product delivery by reducing unnecessary time spent in the supply chain	1. Simplification - choosing simpler operations. 2. Simultaneous execution of operations - abandonment of sequentially performed operations and transition to parallel ones. 3. Resource planning - eliminating bottlenecks and ensuring uninterrupted material flow. 4. Integration - improving the management of material and related flows. 5. Standardization and automation of logistics operations, which contributes to increased productivity and productivity.
Strategies for Improved Productivity	Maximum use of available resources	Search for alternative options for the most effective use of unused production capacity, space, and vehicles.
Growth Strategies	Economies of scale while maintaining high product quality	The desire to increase market share, expand the consumer service area, develop new types of logistics activities
Strategies based on environmental protection	Taking into account the environmental features of logistics activities	Reuse of containers and packaging, recycling and destruction of production residues and packaging materials, reduction of noise and harmful emissions, saving fuel resources, thermal insulation
Diversification Strategies	Offering the maximum range of services	Satisfying a wide class of consumers.
Specialization Strategies	Providing rare services	Guarantees of reliability and security of services.

Some strategies are defensive, others are offensive. Defensive in the sense that logistics is a source of reducing overall logistics costs with the same quality of products. Offensive - because logistics determines differences in the strategy of organizations, especially in matters of quality of consumer service. The most important factor for any type of strategy is the type of demand. For example, a lean strategy works best in conditions of stable, predictable demand and when price is a key factor in product competitiveness. Such products usually include food products. A dynamic strategy works best in conditions of rapidly changing demand, the level of which is difficult to predict. Because of this, a company can only estimate demand when customers place orders with them. Specialists are required to take all these conditions into account when choosing the most optimal logistics strategy. It is drawn up in the form of a logistics plan, which includes the following main sections:

• 1. Summary, which contains the essence of the logistics strategy and its relationship with other company strategies.
• 2. The purpose of logistics in the company, the necessary performance indicators and ways to measure them.
• 3. A description of the way in which logistics can achieve certain goals, the changes required and how to manage them.
• 4. A description of how the individual logistics functions will contribute to the execution of the plan, the changes involved, and the process for integrating all activities.
• 5. Plans showing the resources needed to implement the strategy.
• 6. Expenditure plans and selected economic indicators.
• 7. Representation of how the strategy will affect the overall business performance targets, the contribution of the strategy and the delivery of value to customers and their satisfaction.

The development of a strategic logistics plan ends with the choice of a system for assessing the implementation of strategic decisions.

A strategy becomes productive when it is implemented. This means that long-term goals are reorganized into decisions at lower levels and specific actions are performed that are aimed at achieving them. The logistics strategy is developed by top managers, after which specialists at lower levels assess how this strategy will impact their work. In doing so, they need to receive answers to the following questions:

• · How will the chosen strategy affect the supply chain configuration?
• · Should warehouse and transport operations be changed?
• · Will the approach to planning and scheduling change?
• Are the necessary resources available, if not, can they be obtained?
• · Are there trained staff and electronic information processing systems?
• · How will the chosen strategy influence existing and potential customers, suppliers, personnel, technology, and organization of activities?

Answers to the questions posed are formed in certain areas of decision-making during the implementation of the strategy. The classic approach emphasizes efforts in decision areas such as customer service, infrastructure placement, inventory policy, and transportation. This is a fairly simple point of view, since it does not take into account all the functions of logistics. The modern concept of decision making in strategy implementation suggests that decisions should be made in five areas: supply chain configuration; coordination and organization of activities; supply chain inventory management; consumer service; information support for supply chain activities.

The company's logistics strategy is aimed at optimizing the company's resources when managing main and related flows.

Logistics strategy is a long-term, qualitatively defined direction of logistics development, concerning the forms and means of its implementation in the company, interfunctional and interorganizational coordination and integration, formulated by the company’s top management in accordance with corporate goals. A strategy describes the principle course of action chosen to achieve stated goals.

The goals of logistics strategies depend on the profile, types of activity of the enterprise, level of economic development, provision of material and information resources, level of personnel training and many other factors. For example, for retail firms, these goals might include continually introducing new approaches and innovative ideas in the strategic areas of quality, cost, differentiation and focus, as well as anticipating and meeting customer demand. For manufacturing companies, these goals are also supplemented by such goals as ensuring high quality logistics services in supply while optimizing prices for purchased material resources and finished products under the influence of market conditions.

Among the large number of logistics strategies used by companies, there are several basic ones that are most widely used in business when building a logistics system.

1. Minimizing overall logistics costs. Ways of implementation:

Reducing logistics costs in individual logistics functions;

Optimization of inventory levels in the logistics system;

Selection of optimal options for “warehousing - transportation” (switching from one logistics function to an alternative);

Optimization of solutions in individual functional areas and/or logistics functions according to the criterion of minimum logistics costs;

3PL approach. 3PL technology means providing a range of logistics services from delivery and address storage to order management and tracking the movement of goods. The functions of a 3PL provider include organizing and managing transportation, accounting and inventory management, preparation of import-export and freight documentation, warehousing, cargo processing, and delivery to the end consumer.

2. Improving the quality of logistics services. Ways of implementation:

Improving the quality of logistics operations and functions (transportation, warehousing, cargo handling, packaging, etc.);

Pre-sales and after-sales service support;

Value added service;

Use of logistics technologies to support the product life cycle;

Creation of a quality management system for logistics services;

Certification of the company's quality management system in accordance with national and international standards and procedures (in particular ISO 9000);

Benchmarking, etc.

3. Minimizing investments in logistics infrastructure. Ways of implementation:

Optimization of the logistics network configuration: direct delivery of goods to consumers, bypassing warehousing;

Use of public warehouses;

Use of logistics intermediaries in transportation, warehousing, cargo handling;

Use of just-in-time logistics technology;

Optimization of the location of logistics infrastructure facilities, etc.

4.Logistics outsourcing. Ways of implementation:

Make or buy decision;

Focusing the company on its core competencies, searching for logistics intermediaries to perform non-key functions;

Optimization of the selection of sources of external resources;

Optimal location of production facilities and logistics infrastructure facilities;

Application of supplier innovations; optimization of the number of logistics intermediaries and the functions assigned to them.

Logistics strategies are built on the basis of minimizing or maximizing one key indicator, for example, total logistics costs. However, it is necessary to introduce restrictions on other indicators that are significant from the point of view of the company’s strategy. For a strategy to minimize overall logistics costs, this indicator will be the quality of logistics service. In general, the higher the consumer requirements for the quality of logistics services, the higher the logistics costs that ensure this level should be. Therefore, a natural limitation is the limitation on the basic level of quality of consumer service. In some cases, the strategy of minimizing total logistics costs can be transformed into a strategy of maximizing the ratio: level of service quality / total logistics costs. The implementation of a strategy for minimizing overall logistics costs is complicated by the weak formalizability of the quality parameters of logistics services and the subjective assessment of service quality by consumers.

Factors taken into account when developing a logistics strategy

When designing a logistics strategy, the starting point is a comprehensive analysis of the higher-level strategy (see Figure 1.1), allowing us to understand how logistics can contribute to its implementation.

Fig. 1.1 Factors taken into account when developing a logistics strategy

In addition, you need to consider:

the environment in which business is conducted, including factors that influence logistics, but which logistics cannot control;

the specific competence of an organization, determined by the factors that the organization can control and which it uses to differentiate itself from others.

The business environment and specific competencies show where the organization is today, and the higher-level strategy shows where it wants to be in the future. The logistics strategy then shows how the organization will move from its current position to the future.

To obtain information about the business environment and special competencies, a so-called logistics audit is used. Its goal is to collect meaningful information about existing techniques, indicators and conditions for carrying out logistics activities. In accordance with the two indicated directions of information search, logistics audit is divided into external, which deals with the logistics operating environment, and internal, which analyzes the way operations are carried out within the organization and identifies areas requiring improvement. This approach is similar to a SWOT analysis, which examines:

strengths and weaknesses of the organization, i.e. its internal operations and special competencies;

opportunities and threats that arise in the environment in which business is conducted.

A key factor in the environment in which business is conducted is the type of demand that determines the choice of "lean" or "dynamic" strategies. Thus, a “skinny” strategy works best in conditions where demand is stable or at least predictable. A dynamic strategy works better in situations with a wide range of products, when it is difficult to accurately forecast demand, when it changes dramatically, when operations are made to order, for example, mass fulfillment of orders for fashion products, etc.

Another factor in designing a logistics strategy is the systematic preparation of strategic decisions, that is, not only at the level of top management, but with the involvement of specialists who will be directly involved in the implementation of the strategy. Throughout the strategy development process, the practical implications and feasibility of any decisions made must be considered.

Steps to develop a logistics strategy

give priority to those areas of logistics activity that provide long-term improvement in the competitive position of the enterprise;

Frequently changed strategy aimed at exploiting short-term market opportunities brings fleeting benefits;

Be careful about adopting rigid, inflexible strategies that may become outdated and leave the enterprise unable to maneuver;

exclude strategies that can lead to success only if the most optimistic forecasts are realized.

Assume that competitors will retaliate and there may be times of unfavorable market conditions;

Despite the fact that each logistics strategy is unique in its own way, there are a number of fundamental stages that any company must go through:

Logistics network configuration stage;

Includes the determination of its structure, supply chains, quantitative and qualitative composition of the links in the logistics network (“three sides” in the company’s logistics), the location of logistics infrastructure facilities (own and rented warehouses, terminals, distribution centers, transport departments, dispatch centers, road infrastructure, etc.). P.).

Stage of development of the organizational system of the logistics network; Choosing an option for the organizational structure of the company's logistics service (department), as well as resolving the issue of its possible reengineering are mandatory elements of the logistics strategy.

The stage of determining strategic requirements for product quality and logistics consumer services; In modern conditions, business strategy is focused on the consumer, and in this regard, logistics must form the quality levels of logistics services set by the company’s marketing. These quality levels are further transformed into a system of planned indicators (standards of the company's logistics service), controlled and supported by logistics management personnel. At the same time, the most important task of the company’s logistics management personnel is to minimize logistics costs while complying with the quality standards of logistics services established at the strategic level.

Stage of creating an integrated inventory management system; One of the traditional elements of the logistics strategic plan is the development of an integrated inventory management system, which involves the deployment of functions for determining, monitoring, regulating (replenishing) inventories in the warehouse network.

Stage of choosing a logistics information system. One of the main tasks of forming a logistics strategy is the choice of a logistics information system that connects all links of the logistics network with information and telecommunication channels.

Strategic logistics plan and its sections.

There is no single, universal method for developing a logistics strategy. A logistics strategy consists of a number of goals, procedures, structures, elements, systems, etc., which are presented in the form of a strategic logistics plan containing the following sections:

An overall summary that demonstrates the essence of the logistics strategy and shows how it relates to other parts of the organization.

The purpose of logistics in an organization, the required performance indicators and ways to measure it.

A description of the way in which logistics as a whole can achieve its objectives, the changes that will be made to achieve this and how they will be managed.

A description of how individual logistics functions (supply, transportation, inventory control, cargo handling, etc.) will contribute to plan execution, associated changes, and the process of integrating all operations.

Plans showing the resources needed to execute the strategy.

Cost plans and selected financial indicators.

A description of how the strategy will affect the business as a whole, particularly in terms of the business's performance objectives and the strategy's contribution to delivering value to customers and satisfying their needs.

It is the logistics business plan that must answer the questions of effective target management, collective information support through new approaches to mechanization and automation of standardized business processes, technology for constructing a logistics map of the relationships between the processes of developing all sections of the business plan and modeling business processes for realizing corporate goals.

Research has shown that with this formulation of issues, a logistics business plan becomes an effective tool for targeted management, creating effective conditions for partnership and cooperation along the entire chain of justification and coordination of management decisions.