What is Lean Logistics - A real example

What is Lean Logistics – A real example. In these days I have to challenge myself and the company in a Lean Logistics project. Here I would like to tell my story. let us define what does Lean Logistics means to me. What is Lean Logistics. Lean Logistics is the application of the Lean Thinking to the processes mostly related to the movements of goods. the movement of goods could be between: Really does not matter. Anytime something has to be moved from A to B there is Lean Logistics to be applied. My specific example: From Gantry to Warehouse to Point of Use. In the company, we have trucks that bring materials. Do you have something similar? �� These materials now could have different paths before going where they need. Path 1: Supplier –> Gantry –> Quality Inspection –> Warehouse –> Point of use Path 2: Supplier –> Gantry –> Warehouse –> Point of use. As you can imagine the Path 2 is shorter and faster than Path 1. what the conventional approach will bring the project is: Bring from Path 1 to Path 2 as much as you can! When I do Lean Project with a Lean Strategy I want to do something great! Something Surprising! Something that gives 30 – 40% benefit! I am thinking to a Path 3! Before going to the Path 3 I would like to tell you the exact questions I am going to ask the teams member to move stuff from Path 1 to Path 2. Why I have to do a quality inspection? What do I do during the quality inspection? Am I paying the supplier for poor quality? Normally you discover that a lot of controls can be eliminated. You already pay for quality but nobody speaks with the supplier. What you control is controlled 2-3-4 time during the process. Nobody cares about your control. There is no customer of the control. Once I have done these questions and got the answer I am ready for the Path 3. Path 3 – Lean Logistics at its best. It is written on “Making Material Flow” that the challenge is to touch only one time the goods. My challenge is to allow the supplier to bring the goods directly to the Point of Use. Here what they normally say: What about the safety? How can I am sure that he bring the goods in the right quantity? Who will control what and when the supplier bring the stuff? Here my answers: I do not think the supplier want to have an accident, hence, is all about training, defined path and an agreement with signature. In the age of electronics, there are plenty of opportunities to let the supplier declare what he brings into the company. Trust and Audit do the rest. Why not the operators? And the waterspider? Conclusions. Typically, when you have not the Lean Logistic in place, the materials is affected by triple handling: From Trucks to Floor Into the Control Area (Paperworks, etc.) From Control Area to Storage. Is this triple handling wasteful? Is this triple handling source for damaging and or misplaced parts? The goal is to move the material as directly as possible from the truck to the point of use. In my dreams, there is the supplier that download directly to the point of use!