Ministry of Education and Science Russian Federation
FEDERAL STATE BUDGET
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION
"ORENBURG STATE UNIVERSITY"
Institute of Management
Department of Management
FINAL QUALIFICATION WORK
Direction of training 38.04.02 Management,
Master's Program "Logistics Management in Supply Chains"
Improving the efficiency of the transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistics approach
Introduction
Theoretical basis assessment of the efficiency of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistic approach
1 The concept of logistics at the enterprises of the agro-industrial complex: essence, features of implementation
2 The system of transport and storage facilities: essence, structure, tasks and role in the activities of the enterprise
3 Methodology for assessing the effectiveness of transport and storage management
Approbation of the methodology for assessing the effectiveness of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistic approach
1 Organizational economic characteristic enterprises
2 Analysis of the system of transport and storage facilities of the enterprise
2.3 Evaluation of the efficiency of the transport and storage system and identification of problems in its functioning
1 Priorities for the development of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistics approach
2 Development of a mechanism to improve the efficiency of the transport and storage system based on a logistics approach
Conclusion
List of sources used
Application
Introduction
Relevance of the research topic. Transport and warehousing is the most important part of any agricultural enterprise, as it has a direct impact on the course of production and marketing processes.
The rational organization of transport and storage facilities is of great importance for accelerating and cheapening the promotion of material assets within the enterprise, for increasing the productivity of workers involved in warehousing and transportation, for better use of equipment and warehouse premises, and for mobilizing excess stocks. The main functions of the transport and storage facilities are storage, accounting and control of the movement of material and technical resources and finished products entering the warehouses of the enterprise. The performance of these functions must be carried out with high quality, within the terms established by the contract and internal regulations, as well as at optimal costs. These three indicators can be called performance criteria for transport and storage facilities within the framework of the logistics approach.
Transport and warehousing is a kind of synthesis that combines the processes taking place in warehouses and the transport system of the enterprise, aimed at ensuring the continuity of these processes. Often, these systems are considered separately in practice when organizing production and marketing activities, but only their integration can increase the efficiency of the company's functioning and ensure the achievement of strategic goals.
The degree of scientific development of the research topic. Certain aspects of the functioning of the transport and storage facilities within the framework of the logistics approach are considered by such domestic and foreign scientists and specialists as: N.V. Astafieva, K.I. Ataev, V.V. Borisova, D.Yu. Voronova, P.P. Goncharov, S.V. Dikolov, V.K. Zaretsky, I.I. Zubarev, T.B. Ivanova, A.A. Kanke, S.G. Kapustyan, A.A. Kostrov, M.N. Kuznetsova, G.G. Levkin, N.M. Light, N.N. Litvinov, V.S. Lukinskiy, I.V. Makurina, M.S. Mokiy, K.M. Nazarov, S.Yu. Nesterov, I.N. Omelchenko, S.V. Pilipchuk, O.A. Rudkovsky, O.Yu. Ryzhkov, E.A. Smirnova, Tyapukhin A.P., V.A. Shamisi others
Analysis of modern scientific literature on the topic of improving the efficiency of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise allows us to draw several conclusions. Firstly, it should be noted that at the strategic level the issue of interaction between the transport and storage systems has been worked out quite deeply, the importance of such interaction in achieving strategic goals has been emphasized, but at the tactical and operational levels they continue to be considered separately. Secondly, transport and warehouse logistics have developed tools, while in the transport and warehouse system there are very few studies generalizing the problems of its development.
The purpose of the final qualifying work is to clarify the theoretical and develop methodological aspects of improving the efficiency of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistics approach.
To achieve this goal, the following tasks are solved in the work:
clarify the concept of "transport and storage facilities";
classify the indicators used to assess the effectiveness of the functioning of the transport and storage facilities;
propose a methodology integrated assessment the effectiveness of the functioning of the system of transport and storage facilities;
to test the methodology for assessing the effectiveness of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistic approach;
identify problems in the functioning of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise;
The object of the study is Severnaya Niva LLC, a major producer of agricultural products in the Orenburg region.
The subject of the study is the organizational and economic relations that arise in the process of functioning of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise on the basis of a logistic approach.
The theoretical and methodological basis of the final qualification work was the fundamental works of domestic and foreign scientists in the field of improving the efficiency of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistics approach. In the work, within the framework of a systematic approach, various methods were used. scientific research: economic analysis and synthesis, dynamic and comparative analysis statistical data, economic groupings, composite index method.
The scientific novelty of the work is as follows:
the concept of "transport and storage facilities" has been clarified by considering it as a system that includes a set of storage facilities, vehicles, business processes, various connecting elements aimed at ensuring the movement of various material, informational and financial and service flows, from the point of view of their interaction to achieve the goals of the agricultural enterprise;
indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of the functioning of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise are classified according to such key parameters of the company's activities as the quality of customer service, the organization of management of transport and storage facilities and the efficiency of resource use;
presented and tested a methodology for a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the functioning of the transport and storage facilities, which makes it possible to identify the features of this phenomenon at the meso- and micro-level through multivariate analysis key indicators efficiency based on the use of methods of comparative and retrospective analysis;
proposed a mechanism for improving the efficiency of the transport and storage system of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistic approach that contributes to solving problems and preventing the problems of transport and storage, taking into account the specifics of an agricultural enterprise, based on strategic goals functioning of the system of transport and storage facilities.
The practical significance of the final qualification work is the possibility of using methodological provisions and recommendations to improve the efficiency of the transport and storage system of an agricultural enterprise in the process of managing the transport and storage economy, aimed at implementing the principles of efficiency, urgency, maintaining High Quality products and customer service.
Integrated assessment methodology based on the use of system methods balanced scorecard and the composite index, can be used by other market entities in the field of agriculture. The mechanism for improving the efficiency of the transport and storage system based on a logistics approach can also be partially or completely introduced into the activities of agricultural companies in order to increase their sustainability, competitiveness and efficiency of their activities.
Also, the materials of the final qualifying work can be used in educational process when teaching disciplines: logistics, production logistics management, supply chain modeling, etc.
Approbation of the research results. The main provisions and results of the study were discussed at the XXXIX scientific student conference.
Publications. The main provisions of the master's thesis are reflected in the scientific publications of the undergraduate and presented in 3 printed works (total volume 0.2 pp).
Structure and scope of work. The final qualifying work consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion, 6 appendices and contains 89 pages of text, 22 tables, 26 figures, a list of references, including 50 titles.
The introduction substantiates the relevance of the topic, the degree of study of the problem, defines the goals, objectives, subject and object of research, scientific novelty and practical significance of the research results.
In the first chapter "Theoretical foundations for evaluating the effectiveness of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistics approach", the theoretical aspects of the functioning of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistics approach are considered, the concept of logistics at enterprises of the agro-industrial complex of Russia is considered, the system of transport and storage facilities is studied. economy and its components, methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the management of transport and storage facilities are studied, various classifications of key indicators are presented.
In the second chapter "Approbation of the methodology for assessing the effectiveness of the system of transport and storage facilities of an agricultural enterprise", the organizational and economic characteristics of the studied agricultural enterprise are given, the organization of the system of transport and storage facilities is analyzed, the functioning of the transport and storage facilities of the enterprise is assessed on the basis of a comprehensive methodology, and also identified problems in its operation.
In the third chapter "Development of recommendations for improving the efficiency of the transport and storage system of an agricultural enterprise based on a logistics approach", a mechanism was developed to improve the efficiency of the transport and storage system of an agricultural enterprise, and also presented economic justification suggested recommendations.
In conclusion, a generalized description of the work and the main conclusions based on the results of the study are given.
transport warehouse agricultural logistics
1. Theoretical foundations for evaluating the effectiveness of the transport and storage system of an agricultural enterprise based on the logistic approach
1 The concept of logistics at the enterprises of the agro-industrial complex: essence, features of implementation
The concept of logistics is a system of views on improving the activities of an enterprise or several enterprises. Concept of logistics in agro-industrial complex is implemented on the basis of a systematic approach, ensuring the unity and coordination of actions of all functional divisions of the company or participants in the supply chain, thus determining the direction in which the logistics system can be developed. A lot of research has been devoted to the application of the logistics concept in the agro-industrial complex. At the same time, many people think of logistics as just logistics or transportation and warehousing, missing the point of an integrated logistics approach. If they try to use an integrative systematic approach regarding the agro-industrial complex, then they copy schemes from other forms of management without taking into account the peculiarities, and the literature on logistics in the agro-industrial complex often differs from the general literature on logistics only in a number of examples.
The application of the logistics concept in the sphere of the agro-industrial complex is observed even in the economy of the USSR. The food program (for example, 1982) was a set of organizational, economic, political, logistical measures aimed at a systematic solution of food problems. The main attention is paid to the optimal use of the production and resource potential of the agricultural sector, the elimination of disproportions, the achievement of balance on the path of agricultural products from producer to consumer, the accelerated development of those subsystems of the agro-industrial complex, the backlog of which hampered the development of the entire system. Measures were developed to improve the safety of products, their complex processing and processing using modern technologies. Despite the fact that logistics was practically not studied in the USSR at that time, when implementing food programs and events, quite logistical approaches and tools were used, but management was carried out by command methods. The disadvantage of this system was the general disadvantage of the command economy - ignoring the economic, social and other interests of agricultural enterprises. With the transition to a market economy, many of the positive achievements of domestic agriculture were lost, therefore, at present, the experience of the Soviet period should be taken into account.
The main provisions of the concept of logistics in the agro-industrial complex were formed by Levkin G.G. :
a) implementation of a systematic approach both at the micro and macro levels.
largest economical effect can only be achieved if the indicators of the total material flow are improved throughout its entire length, that is, from the source of raw materials to the final consumer of the product, including return and reverse flows. In addition, all links must be a single system;
b) it is necessary to take into account the logistics costs throughout the entire logistics chain.
c) creation modern conditions labor for agricultural workers.
Personnel is the most important element of the company's logistics system. In this connection, the enterprise needs to create good working conditions for him, conduct regular training, provide an opportunity career development. Often, the cost of wages is considered by the employer as a loss, an expense, therefore, in the event of financial difficulties, they first of all begin to reduce or withhold wages, as well as dismiss workers associated with ensuring the movement of material flow (storekeepers, forwarding drivers, loaders, etc.). Company executives do not take into account the fact that such a policy leads to losses in the long run.
Besides, high qualification employees, the unique competencies acquired by them while working at a particular agricultural enterprise make it possible to consider the team as goodwill (as an element of other unique components of the company). Anyone who understands this and implements regular employee training at the enterprise, creates a system of their motivation, and creates a workable, competitive enterprise. The application of the concept of logistics makes a person the most important factor among other factors and types of resources, therefore, personal management is of great importance. It includes new approaches to the organization of labor, its payment, to the stimulation and motivation of employees;
d) occupying a niche in the market of agricultural products and improving the quality of customer service.
In order for a company to occupy a niche in the market, there are three ways:
) improving the quality of manufactured goods;
) the release of a new product;
) increasing the level of logistics service.
The choice of the first two directions is associated with a high level of material costs. The last way is the least expensive, which is why more and more companies turn over time to improving the quality of logistics services, thereby increasing their competitiveness. The consumer gives preference to the supplier who guarantees the highest level of service, delivers the goods at the right time, in the right quantity and the required quality;
e) the ability of logistics systems to adapt to changing environmental conditions.
The appearance on the wound of a huge amount various goods and servants contributes to an increase in the uncertainty of demand, which in turn causes sharp fluctuations in quantitative and qualitative characteristics material flows passing through logistics systems. That is why the ability of an enterprise to adapt is an essential factor in a sustainable position in the market. Agro-industrial complex enterprises that are engaged in the implementation of the concept of logistics acquire the property of self-organization over time, that is, after a change in the market situation, it ceases, and at the same time, the parameters of incoming, internal and outgoing flows change. Whereas a company with a traditional organization for managing logistics flows continues to work for a long period of time according to past trends, which leads to an increase in inventory and illiquid assets;
f) refusal to use universal equipment.
For more efficient storage and transportation, it is necessary to abandon the use of universal technological and handling equipment, and use only equipment that meets specific purposes, conditions and features of the agricultural company;
g) acceptance management decisions based on economic compromises.
An increase in costs in one link of the supply chain is necessary and allowed, provided that it will increase profits for the whole company or in the entire supply chain. For example, an increase in the cost of transporting goods leads to a reduction in the cost of warehousing and inventory management in general.
The use of economic compromises in the logistics systems of the agro-industrial complex is based on a reasonable increase in costs in certain sections of the logistics chain and between the branches of the agro-industrial complex, which contributes to the improvement of the situation as a whole in the enterprise or in the supply chain. Thus, using the concept of logistics, it is possible to determine the directions for the development of the logistics system in the agro-industrial complex. The development and implementation of a logistics concept in an agricultural enterprise is a complex and multifaceted task.
The main goal of logistics in the enterprise is the delivery of products of the appropriate quantity and quality, just in time and at optimal costs for supply, production, marketing and transportation. Based on the main goal, several sub-goals of logistics can be distinguished:
a) development and implementation of an effective system of control, cost accounting and volume of logistics operations;
b) reorganization of the company structure to create a logistics department;
c) organization of logistics management, taking into account the characteristics of the agricultural industry.
To achieve effective results, subgoals are integrated vertically and horizontally. Vertically, actions are coordinated at all levels of management; horizontally, the actions of departments in the process of managing flows are coordinated. In practice, it is precisely enterprises that combine vertical and horizontal integration that have the greatest competitiveness.
The implementation of the goals of logistics requires the solution of a number of tasks: global and general.
Global tasks:
a) this is the modeling and construction of the logistics system of an agricultural enterprise;
b) development of conditions and mechanisms for improving the reliability of delivery of goods;
c) designing supply chains for the marketing of finished products;
d) development and implementation of a system for accounting for logistics costs.
General tasks:
a) coordination of activities of departments;
b) the choice of a logistics, commercial intermediary;
c) determination of the optimal amount of storage space;
d) selection of the location of the warehouse, outlet;
e) choice of type vehicle and etc.
That is, the formation of a logistics strategy is carried out in accordance with the corporate strategy of the company and is aimed primarily at increasing the flexibility and reliability of the logistics system.
Logistics in the agro-industrial complex, like general logistics, is based on a number of principles that can be divided into general conceptual, system-wide and specific principles of logistics.
General conceptual principles:
a) complexity - coordination of actions of participants logistics process in the agro-industrial complex;
b) scientific character - application of a scientific approach in optimizing material flows in logistics;
c) specificity - a clear definition of the results of the activities of logistics units;
d) constructiveness - timely regulation of the material flow and tracking the movements of its individual elements;
e) reliability - ensuring the continuity and safety of the movement of flows material resources;
f) variability - the allocation of various alternative options for the movement of goods and the choice of the optimal one from among them this moment time or in the future in accordance with the criteria put forward.
General system principles:
a) consistency - the logistics system is considered as an object represented by a set of interrelated elements;
b) emergence - the properties of an enterprise differ from the properties of its divisions, that is, the optimal solution of problems in individual divisions does not always mean a positive result for the company;
c) hierarchy - this is the order of subordination of lower elements to higher ones according to strictly defined steps, and the transition from a lower level to a higher one;
d) integration - the unification of parts or properties into a whole. Due to integration, the logistics system has a synergistic effect, that is, when the joint actions of the elements of the system are carried out, an effect is obtained that exceeds the sum of the effects of these elements.
Specific logistics principles:
a) consistency of logistics and corporate strategies (for example, with an increase in the volume of products, it is also necessary to take into account the readiness of storage facilities);
b) increasing the efficiency of the organization of material flows;
c) providing participants in the movement of goods with the necessary information;
d) striving for effective management of human resources in agricultural enterprises;
e) creating and maintaining close partnerships with other businesses within the supply chain;
f) accounting for the results of logistics activities in the system financial indicators companies;
g) careful planning and development of logistics operations, taking into account the optimization of total logistics costs.
When implementing, implementing the logistics concept, certain methods and ways of solving the tasks are used. Those methods that prevail in society for a certain period of time form a paradigm. The logistics paradigm differs depending on the stages of its development as a science:
) analytical;
) technological;
) marketing;
) integral paradigm.
The analytical paradigm is a classic approach to logistics that has been seen as theoretical science. It is based on a mathematical basis, inventory management theory, methods of mathematical statistics, etc. A distinctive feature is the construction of an economic and mathematical model, which is built at the expense of a large amount of information, complex algorithms, which makes practical application difficult, except for the case of mass production.
The development of logistics gradually followed the path from the particular to the general, that is, from logistics within the company to the construction of macro-logistics systems, supply chains, and the paradigm developed along the same path.
The technological paradigm was developed in the 1960s of the last century in connection with the development of information and computer systems and technologies. The basis of the paradigm is a systematic approach, in which the collection, systematization of information, automation of logistics operations and functions occurs with the help of information technology. For example, the MRP (Manufacturing Resource Planning) system is used in planning, inventory management and procurement. With the help of an analytical approach, it was impossible to solve all the problems that arise within the organization of the distribution of goods, so more and more attention was paid to automating business processes to bring certainty to the work of companies. But to study the patterns of functioning of macrologistic systems, these methods are not enough, since they are applicable only in conditions of stable external environment.
The marketing paradigm has been applied since the early 80s. The scientific base includes mathematical, social and economic disciplines. This allows you to use not only quantitative, but also qualitative indicators for the analysis of logistics activities. An example of the use of the marketing paradigm in practice is the concept of SCM (supplychain management - supply chain management), which is used to strengthen the company's competitiveness in the face of demand uncertainty.
The integral paradigm extends the marketing paradigm in the direction of the development of relationships between companies, for example, the well-known concept of "just in time" (JIT). The main goal of such a paradigm is to unite all participants in the supply chain.
The development of logistics systems and management technologies has evolved from simple to complex. Each subsequent paradigm included the previous one and was supplemented by those methods and methodologies that are most relevant for a given time, and so far modern paradigms have a number of points from the analytical and technological paradigms.
The use of a logistics approach in the management of a company involves taking into account industry patterns, features of the enterprise's functioning, and the formation of an efficient and reliable infrastructure. From the analysis of the logistics system of agro-industrial enterprises, we can conclude that the agro-industrial complex is developing differently across paradigms. In the agriculture of our country, the analytical and technological paradigms are most used. At the same time, logistics activities are closely related to the main activities of the company: finance, marketing, production. Logistic functions, as a rule, are divided between these areas, however, the goals of these areas may be at odds with the aim of optimizing costs in the organization of goods movement.
Figure 1 shows such an interconnection of the company's divisions, in which each direction "pulls" in its own direction. In turn, the logistics approach to the organization of management at the enterprise involves the creation of a logistics service that must manage the material flow, starting from the formation of contractual relations with the supplier and ending with the delivery of finished products to the buyer.
Figure 1 - The relationship of company divisions
analysis of the external environment of the company;
consumer analysis;
planning marketable products, selection of assortment groups;
service planning, sales efficiency improvement.
The solution of the first two tasks can be carried out practically without the participation of logistics, but the last two tasks can only be successfully solved jointly. For example, if it is decided to launch the production of new products, then production must be provided with the necessary amount of raw materials, inventory management and their transportation must also be planned. Marketing achieves the strategic and tactical goals of the company, logistics is responsible for the operational management of flows.
Production directly depends on the delivery of materials, raw materials, and other necessary elements at the right time, in the right quantity and quality. Consequently, logistics services are involved in making purchasing decisions. In addition, logistics is associated with the production and marketing of products and their warehousing. The task of the logistics service is the delivery of raw materials and component materials to the workshops and the movement of finished products to storage sites. The weak relationship between production and logistics leads to an increase in stocks in different areas, creating an additional burden on production. Quality control is a joint task of production and logistics.
Determining the optimal volume of stocks, the logistics service proceeds from the real capabilities of the enterprise. Joint decisions of logistics and finance services are made when purchasing equipment, control and management of transport and storage costs is carried out.
Thus, it was revealed that the concept of logistics includes the main provisions, as well as the goals, objectives and principles of organizing logistics processes in agricultural enterprises. Development, implementation of the concept at agricultural enterprises is a complex, multifaceted task, consisting of the implementation of a systematic approach at the micro and macro levels, the need to take into account logistics costs throughout the entire supply chain, the creation of modern working conditions for agricultural workers, occupying a niche in the agricultural market and improving the quality of customer service, making management decisions based on economic compromises. The implementation of the concept should be based on a number of principles, including: consistency of logistics and corporate strategies, increasing the efficiency of organizing material flows, providing participants in the distribution of goods with the necessary information, striving for effective human resource management in agricultural enterprises, creating and maintaining close partnerships with other enterprises in within the supply chain, accounting for the results of logistics activities in the system of financial indicators of the company, careful planning and development of logistics operations, taking into account the optimization of total logistics costs. In addition, during the implementation, implementation of the logistics concept, certain methods and methods for solving the tasks are used. Those methods that prevail in society for a certain period of time form the paradigm of the concept. At the same time, the use of a logistics approach in the management of a company involves taking into account industry patterns, features of the functioning of the enterprise, and the formation of an effective and reliable infrastructure.
2 The system of transport and storage facilities: essence, structure, tasks and role in the activities of the enterprise
Transportation and warehousing systems are complementary elements in the organization of deliveries, in the process of production, storage and marketing of the company's products. It is on the amount of storage and transportation costs that the choice of supply and distribution scheme depends, and it is these costs that influence the adoption of many significant decisions in the field of managing the company's operations.
In modern economic conditions, the effective functioning of production is impossible without the maximum integration of transport and storage processes. The main reasons for the creation of transport and storage facilities at enterprises are:
a) territorial division of participants in the supply chain;
b) the need to maintain high quality products at optimal costs;
c) discrepancy between production consumption cycles, etc.
Transportation and warehousing performs an important function of servicing the main and auxiliary production and marketing processes at all levels (from one employee to the company level).
Transport and warehousing is aimed at solving the following tasks:
a) ensuring the rhythm and continuity of production and marketing processes;
b) reducing the cost and labor intensity of transport and storage operations;
c) reduction of the production cycle as a whole, acceleration of inventory turnover;
d) the introduction of new methods and technologies in the work of the transport and storage facilities, aimed at its optimization, etc.
It is advisable to consider logistics management within the framework of a complete logistics system, shown in Figure 2. This figure shows that warehouse and transport logistics are key functional activities.
Figure 2 - The place of warehouse and transport logistics in the logistics system
The authors, as a rule, transport and warehousing are considered separately. For example, Tyapukhin A.P. writes that "transport management is the management of one or another type of transportation means." And the warehousing includes only the warehouse complex of the enterprise.
According to the works of Anikina B.A. "warehousing is one of the most important elements of the logistics system, which takes place at any stage of the material flow from the primary source of raw materials to the final consumer." While "the transport industry is responsible for the audit of transport operations, the integration of transport services, tracking and forwarding delivery, etc." .
In addition, it is impossible not to refer to the definition that Y. M. Nerush gives in his works “a warehouse is a system that should be considered not only as a device for storing goods, but as a transport and warehouse complex, where the processes of moving material resources also play big role" .
Based on the foregoing, as well as from those tasks, the solution of which should be provided within the framework of the transport and storage economy, the following definition can be formed. Transportation and warehousing - a system that includes a set of storage facilities, vehicles, various business processes that link the elements of the system, aimed at ensuring the movement of material, information, financial and service flows for the purposes of production and marketing in accordance with established deadlines and requirements to products from consumers. The main criterion for the functioning of the transport and warehouse system of the company is the high-quality and timely provision of goods to the consumer at optimal costs.
Transportation and warehousing at Russian enterprises, as a rule, is represented by two key components: transport and warehouses.
Logistics sets the task of correct and optimal organization of processes in warehouses, as well as the task of technical, technological contingency within warehouse processes with processes occurring in the environment. The warehouse is the most important component of the logistics system, since there is an objective need for specially equipped places in order to contain stocks of products. The classification of warehouses on the basis of the place they occupy in the general process of the movement of material flow from the supplier to the final consumer of products is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3 - Classification of warehouses on the basis of their place in the general process of movement of the material flow of the supplier to the consumer
The main functions of warehousing are storage, accounting and control of the movement of material and technical resources and finished products entering the warehouses of the enterprise. The performance of these functions must be carried out with high quality, within the terms established by the contract and internal regulations, as well as at optimal costs.
An approximate diagram of the organizational structure of the warehouse is shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4- Organizational structure warehouse
Along the way, various operations are carried out with the cargo: unloading, palletizing, moving, unpacking, storage, etc. The scope of work for a separate operation, calculated for a certain period of time, for a month, for a year, is a material flow for the respective operation. The set of works performed in different warehouses is approximately the same. This is explained by the fact that warehouses perform the following similar functions in different logistics processes: temporary placement and storage of inventories, transformation of material flows; provision of logistics services in the service system. The flow diagram of the material flow through the chain of warehouses of various enterprises is shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5 - Scheme of the chain of warehouses on the path of the material flow from the primary source of raw materials to the final consumer
The logistics process linking all warehouse operations is developed in order to establish the minimum required number of operations, to select the most appropriate type of warehouse equipment. An example of a logistics process in a warehouse is shown in Figure 6.
Figure 6 - Logistics process in the warehouse
The logistics process in the warehouse covers transport and intra-warehouse movements, as well as accounting and control operations, the efficiency of the processes taking place in warehouses directly depends on transport system companies.
The reason for the inconsistencies in warehouse logistics is the large flow of materials passing daily through the warehouse with a limited number of warehouse workers who must quickly process: receive, check, ship, move hundreds, units of pallets, packages, etc.
Warehouse organization includes the following activities:
) analysis of the structure of the enterprise in terms of direct flow, proportionality, rhythm of production;
) determination of the necessary nomenclature and type of warehouses;
) construction of the layout of new warehouses and storage facilities;
) development calendar plans work of warehouses, including the organization of the movement of flows;
) analysis and evaluation of the work of warehouses, development of measures for their optimization.
The transport economy is a kind of artery that connects material flows. Transport operations are an important part production process, and vehicles are often used to regulate it and ensure the necessary rhythm of production.
Efficient organization of intra-production transport, cargo flows and cargo turnover as a whole helps to reduce production cycles, speed up turnover, and reduce costs. Agricultural enterprises use modes of transport that can be classified according to the following criteria:
) in the service sector:
intershop transport;
intrashop transport;
) according to the mode of operation:
transport of continuous action;
intermittent transport;
) by level of automation:
mechanical transport;
automatic transport;
manual transport;
) by type of transported goods:
TS for liquid cargoes;
Vehicles for bulk cargo;
Vehicles for piece cargo.
The organization of the transport economy consists of the following stages:
)strategic planning aimed at updating vehicles and its modernization;
) analysis of the company's production potential, development, planning and implementation of measures to improve the production structure in terms of rationalizing the transport system;
) assessment of the level of loading and efficiency of the use of transport for a certain period of time;
) justification for the choice of a particular vehicle;
) construction of schemes of material flows;
) planning, building a system of motivation.
The generally accepted methods of organizing transport and storage activities are systemic and process approaches. Each of these approaches has its own advantages and disadvantages in the construction of transport and storage activities and infrastructure, presented in table 1.
Table 1 - Approaches to the organization of transport and storage activities
|
Advantages |
Flaws |
|
|
Systems approach |
Integration of various industries - synthesis of knowledge from various fields of science; - reflected general provisions to build a system, which allows you to consider the design process as a system; - several models for design are intensively used; - the main result of the system approach is the integral economic effect, which ensures the development of highly efficient technologies |
A number of methods used in a systematic approach do not have proven and developed tools for building a system; - the absence of one of the basic principles of logistics - "integrity and unity"; - the problem of evaluating the effectiveness of the constructed model on the principle of a systematic approach |
|
Process approach |
Provides optimization of the enterprise management system, since this method allows you to more clearly track deviations in the activities of the enterprise; - aimed at solving strategic goals and objectives; - when building, developing and controlling the model, information systems and technologies are used |
The complexity of the implementation of the approach. |
Thus, considering the advantages and disadvantages of a systematic approach in modeling transport and warehouse processes, this direction allows:
a) determine the structure of the transport and storage facilities of the enterprise, as well as determine and streamline the elements, goals, parameters, tasks;
b) identify the internal properties of the logistics system of the warehouse;
c) identify and classify the links between the elements of the warehouse and transport and warehouse systems;
d) identify factors of uncertainty that affect the functioning of transport and storage processes;
e) highlight the list and indicate the appropriate sequence for performing the tasks of the functioning of the transport and storage system and its individual elements.
The following stages of building a transport and storage system can be distinguished, these stages were identified on the basis of an analysis of modern domestic literature, they are presented in Table 2. The key stages are the synthesis of an optimal warehouse system, the design of a warehouse economy, as well as the organization of the interaction of transport and warehouse elements.
Table 2 - The main stages of the formation of the transport and storage system
|
Methods, models and solution algorithm |
Source |
||
|
Synthesis of an optimal warehouse system |
Determination of the required number of storage objects |
The method of semantic analysis of the dependence of the total costs for the functioning of the distribution system on the number of warehouses of the enterprise |
Lukinskiy V.S. Dybskaya V.V. Mirotin L.B. |
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Determining the location of warehouse objects |
Trial point method; Center of gravity method, warehouse coordinate search algorithm based on the integration approach |
Dybskaya V.V. |
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Definition of service areas of transformation centers |
Fuzzy set theory method, stochastic programming method |
Nikolaichuk V.V. |
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Choosing a warehouse service provider |
Lukinskiy V.S. Dybskaya V.V. |
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Warehouse design |
Determination of the main parameters of storage areas |
The method of elementary sites, a method for assessing the capacity of a warehouse based on an economic and mathematical model |
Malikov O.B. Boyko N.I. |
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Process Efficiency Challenges customs clearance and customs control are solved through the organization of customs and logistics terminals, which are an important element of the customs and logistics infrastructure.
The customs and logistics terminal is a complex of buildings, structures, territories, united into a single whole, within which services are provided related to the customs clearance of goods and vehicles, their storage, transportation inland, as well as other related services. Customs and logistics terminals are located in close proximity to the checkpoint across the state border.
To implement the inherent opportunities for organizing new channels for promoting cargo traffic and services in the domestic and international markets, customs and logistics terminals realize the benefits of reducing costs through centralized management of services and integration and minimizing time costs. Such an increase in efficiency is achieved through the introduction of an information exchange system, as well as a reduction in production costs through financial costs and document flow optimization.
Accelerating the passage of cargo through temporary storage facilities increases the efficiency of logistics schemes.
The advantages of using customs and logistics terminals are manifested in the implementation of "transparent" information by providing centralized and decentralized access to a single database, using modern logistics approaches for foreign trade and transit cargoes.
To maintain high competitiveness, the customs terminal must constantly develop and improve, therefore, a way is needed to determine such moments as the degree of satisfaction with the work of the terminal of the participants foreign economic activity and customs authorities. Improvement of customs and logistics terminals, the effectiveness of the model of organization and use of customs and logistics terminals are achieved in the process of customs clearance and customs control. The main indicators of the logistics activities of supply chains are indicators characterizing the power, i.e. throughput of the customs and logistics terminal and its performance.
The main directions for the development of customs infrastructure are laid down in the Strategy for the Development of Customs Authorities, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 28, 2012 No. 2575-r. The integrated implementation of the Strategy forms a modern system for ensuring the interests of the state in the field of customs, effectively counteracts threats to the security of the Russian Federation, solves social and economic problems, creates favorable conditions for the activities of trading communities, individuals and legal entities.
A modern warehouse is a very complex facility, both from a technical and managerial point of view. Temporary storage warehouses, unlike warehouses that exist at all stages of the movement of material flows, from the source of raw materials to the final consumer of finished commercial products, solve the problem of compliance with customs legislation. At the same time, temporary storage warehouses are an essential link in accelerating and simplifying the entire logistics chain in foreign trade.
The efficiency of temporary storage warehouse management is achieved by using an automated goods accounting system, its compatibility with software products permitted for use by the customs authorities performing customs clearance of goods and vehicles and exercising customs control over them.
The automated goods accounting system assumes the presence of a dedicated communication channel for receiving and transmitting electronic data on the delivery of goods and vehicles and their customs clearance, with the speed of information transfer necessary for these purposes; the presence of a local computer network.
Possibility of transfer to the customs authority in in electronic format information contained in the reporting on goods held in temporary storage warehouses and received in electronic form from customs authority information on the release of goods located in temporary storage warehouses, ensures the effectiveness of the management of temporary storage warehouses.
The presence of an electronic system for the placement and accounting of goods in temporary storage warehouses equipped with an automated cell storage system for goods, which is compatible with software products used by customs authorities, allows the customs authority to control the placement and location of goods in cells. The electronic system will automatically allow inspection, measurement, recalculation, weighing of goods both by warehouse workers and persons with authority in relation to these goods, determining the date and time of these operations.
Temporary storage of goods at temporary storage warehouses, equipped with an automated cellular storage system for goods, is carried out in specially allocated, equipped and marked with the corresponding numbers of cells located on the warehouse's multi-level racking equipment. The number of cells determined for the temporary storage of goods and indicated in the certificate of inclusion in the Register of Owners of a Temporary Storage Warehouse is the maximum allowable. The location of the cells used for temporary storage of goods is determined by the owner of the temporary storage warehouse independently.
Goods after their release can be in the cells for the time required by the owner of the temporary storage warehouse. The specified cells for the time the released goods are in them are not taken into account by the owner of the temporary storage warehouse and the customs authority in order to control the use of the useful volume of the warehouse. At the same time, the owner of the temporary storage warehouse has the right to place goods under customs control in other free cells, without exceeding the total number of cells intended for temporary storage of goods under customs control.
The customs authority controls the number of cells used by the owner of the temporary storage warehouse for temporary storage of goods under customs control, and their actual location.
The use of modern information technologies in the implementation of temporary storage of goods increases the speed of customs control, which significantly reduces the costs of participants in foreign economic activity when moving goods across the customs border.
Widespread use in the practice of SVH received Software package"Alta-SVH". The software package was developed by Alta-Soft on the basis of a detailed analysis of the operation of the largest warehouses, the study of the most advanced operating technologies. In the end, not just a product for filling out documents, but a temporary storage warehouse management system was created, aimed at both merchants and customs officers.
Typical technology system customs clearance includes all stages of temporary storage of goods, from the actual registration of the arrived cargo and vehicle to the formation and submission of reports in accordance with established forms, which is provided by the owner of the temporary storage warehouse to the customs authority.
The program contains a large "managerial" functionality. So, with the help of various reports in Alta-SVH, it is possible to track the stages of cargo clearance, control the storage time of goods in a warehouse, and analyze the receipt of funds for services rendered.
The Alta-SVH software allows temporary storage warehouse employees to automate the customs clearance process while complying with all legal requirements, and the warehouse management and customs officials can receive accurate and timely reporting at any time and control all business processes.
Technological improvement of warehouse infrastructure is one of the factors for increasing the efficiency of the logistics chain as a whole.
Automation of warehouses, the introduction of advanced technological solutions in the process of temporary storage of controlled goods is priority development for Russian market logistics services. In recent years, many large logistics providers in the customs control system have made notable progress in the introduction of modern technologies.
Equipment of warehouses and sites according to modern standards, automation and robotization of all processes, integrated computerized management of warehouse operations can significantly reduce costs and increase the reliability of storage, optimize labor costs, and ensure the most efficient customs control.
Automation of temporary storage systems involves equipping warehouses with handling equipment developed on the basis of the latest technological solutions. The technical means in modern automated warehouses are interactive and controlled, among other things, using radio control devices.
For rack storage of large volumes of cargo, a system of radio shuttles is used - robotic complexes with remotely controlled mobile platforms.
Radio shuttles are optimal for low temperature storage food products when it is problematic to organize the work of warehouse personnel. Robotic complexes are economical, productive and provide high storage flexibility. It is safe to predict that this technology will be in demand and will be further spread in warehouse logistics.
The shuttle system of automatic storage greatly simplifies the process of assembling batches of goods. The main advantages of this system are the high productivity of the warehouse staff, since there is no need to waste time moving between racks during the picking process, and more rational use the entire warehouse.
The system automatically sends shuttles with the goods necessary for a particular order to the assembly stations. Among the limitations, one can note the need to coordinate the work of all processes in order to achieve high system performance in terms of the number of “streams”, since they are also used to load goods into the system. But the high cost of equipment, restrictions on the dimensions, weight of goods, lack of versatility hinder the widespread introduction of the system.
A very effective technology for processing goods is the marking of storage units with tags that are recognized using a radio signal (RFID technology).
RFID technology is seen as a replacement for traditional barcodes, and in recent years has been increasingly introduced into the production and storage of consumer goods. RFID tags have increased reliability and information capacity - they are read at high speed, at a considerable distance and out of line of sight, which makes it possible to identify tags located inside the package.
The use of RFID technology can significantly reduce the processing time for storage units, guarantee efficient Information Support warehouse operations and get significant savings on technical staff. However, the technology of RFID-marking is not widespread enough, since it is not applicable to all groups of goods. RFID tags do not work in the presence of radio interference and during operations with metal and shielding objects. Therefore, foil-wrapped products or sophisticated consumer electronics may not always be labeled this way.
The speed of cargo handling is a critical component of modern warehouse logistics, and technologies to optimize this process are of increasing interest. In this regard, the potential of such technological solutions as warehouse process control systems using light and sound signals (technologies Pick-by-light and Pick-by-Voice) .
The role of new software developments for automated storage is also growing, including 3D modeling of warehouse processes - an area in which domestic specialists have every chance to come up with original and promising proposals, which will give an additional impetus to the growth of the efficiency of the Russian logistics sector.
The coordination and speed of warehouse operations is an important component of effective warehouse logistics.
The use of automated information system warehouse management, built on a three-level principle.
The first component is a part visible to the user - a human-machine interface - a "client application", with the help of which the user enters, changes and deletes data, gives requests for performing operations and requests for data sampling (receiving reports); this component can be accessed on a computer, tablet, smartphone or data collection terminals.
The second component is a part of the system hidden from users. It includes a database server and stores data. The user, through the client application, initiates a request procedure for selecting, entering, changing, or deleting data in the database.
The third component is business logic. Specialized processing programs perform user-initiated data processing and return the processed data to the database, informing the user through the screen of the client application that the requested processing has been completed.
The territory of the warehouse is divided into zones according to the types of technological operations in order to automate the procedures for receiving, placing, storing, processing and shipping goods, which makes it possible to streamline the work of personnel in various areas and effectively distribute areas of responsibility.
At the implementation stage, a description of the physical characteristics of the warehouse, loading equipment, the parameters of all equipment used and the rules for working with it are entered into the system.
All incoming shipments are marked with barcodes. Carrying out technological warehouse operations under the control of the system is based on data from barcodes, storage locations and loading equipment. Loading equipment and warehouse workers are equipped with data input-output radio terminals, which are a portable computer that communicates with the main server of the system via a radio channel. The system can use any of the existing types of codes or print labels with an internal barcode.
When conducting an inventory, specialists use data collection terminals to read bar codes, which are automatically entered into the instrument databases. The system takes into account all requirements for storage conditions when allocating storage locations for goods arriving at the warehouse. For example, humidity, temperature regime, expiration dates, manufacturers, expiration dates, suppliers, compatibility rules and any other parameters. WMS(English) Warehouse Management System) automatically selects storage locations for accepted cargo and generates tasks for warehouse workers. Tasks are received on the screen of radio terminals in the form of elementary step-by-step commands individually for each employee.
Strict regulation of the procedure for organizing the creation of a temporary storage warehouse, placing goods in a warehouse, types of operations carried out in a warehouse, the procedure for accounting for the movement of goods, the period the goods are in the warehouse and the procedure for issuing goods from the warehouse ensures not only the effectiveness of customs control, but also reduces the costs of temporary storage as much as possible , which helps to improve the efficiency of warehouse logistics in the overall system of customs logistics.
- See: Letter of the Federal Customs Service of Russia dated August 21, 2009 No. 21-50/39656 “On the submission of the Concept for customs clearance and customs control of goods in places close to the state border of the Russian Federation”. RFID technologies in logistics processes // URL: http://www.idexpert.ru/reviews/3369.
- New and promising technologies as part of WMS // URL: http://www.tadviser.ru/index, php/.
- Warehouse management system. Source http://www.a-ts.ru/intstat/v-pomosch-perevozchikam/sistema-upravleniya-skladom/.
In the face of increasing competition, the issues of cost optimization and improving the quality of customer service are among the key issues in the activities of modern distribution companies and retail chains. One of the important links in the logistics chain for this line of business is the distribution warehouse, the efficiency of which, ultimately, depends on to a large extent affects the performance of the business as a whole.
For warehouse service operators, the issue of increasing the efficiency of the warehouse is more acute, since the warehouse for them is, in fact, the main production unit. Effective, in terms of productivity and cost, cargo handling in a modern warehouse is impossible without high-quality information and technical support warehouse processes. The growth in cargo handling volumes, as well as the ever-increasing level of requirements for the quality of warehouse services, are forcing company management to think about tools to improve the efficiency of the warehouse. One of these tools is the system automated control warehouse (Warehouse Management System - WMS).
Many companies are already using one or another WMS. And, it should be noted, not always achieving the desired result - increasing productivity and reducing the cost of warehouse cargo handling. Let's try to figure out why.
To determine the reasons, it is necessary to consider the question - due to which savings are possible as a result of the use of WMS? Let's highlight a few key factors.
Reducing labor costs for cargo handling and the cost of using special equipment for organizing cargo handling (first of all, we are talking about the costs of personnel involved in warehouse cargo processing, as well as the costs of warehouse equipment). The main difference between WMS and warehouse accounting systems is the management of warehouse operations, and not a statement of the fact of their completion. In the process of managing WMS, they solve the problems of managing the acceptance and placement of stocks in warehouses, commissioning and shipment of goods to consumers (both external and internal), as well as a number of other specific tasks of intra-warehouse cargo processing. And all these processes are carried out on the basis of automatic WMS recommendations.
Thus, the warehouse employee ceases to be a unique carrier of knowledge about the processes of the warehouse, about the principles of their implementation, about the places of storage of a particular product and other knowledge, which removes an obstacle to optimizing intra-warehouse cargo handling as a whole. Being a unique carrier of knowledge and not controlled by the system, the warehouse employee, when placing the goods, will place them where it is more convenient for him to put them, and not where it will be convenient to select the goods according to the customer’s order, and any attempt to change the principles of warehouse cargo handling will stumble upon the habit of employees to work” the old fashioned way."
Being a unique carrier of knowledge, an employee becomes a highly paid specialist - and the more experience he has in a particular warehouse and even in a particular sector of the warehouse, the more highly paid specialist he becomes. If only because in the event of his dismissal, the company will spend a lot of money on finding and training a new employee. The learning process in this case can drag on for many months: the larger the assortment with which the employee will work, the longer the training period, respectively. And, of course, the accuracy of execution of tasks by warehouse employees suffers. After all, information support of warehouse processes, limited to the use of standard accounting system(even if somewhat modified to meet the requirements of a particular warehouse), in combination with paper technology for receiving tasks and confirming their completion, does not allow organizing effective control over the performance of cargo handling operations by personnel. After all, even the most qualified employees sometimes make mistakes.
The interchangeability of personnel becomes a problem: it is rather difficult to transfer an employee from one work area to another if his knowledge is limited to a certain assortment or warehouse area, and the information system cannot promptly help him. The situation becomes more complicated in the case of paper handling technology. Here, the information system can only provide information about what happened at the time the task was assigned. And from the moment of appointment to the moment of execution, a lot of things could change: for example, more was taken from the storage location than was necessary, which causes a shortage that could be covered from another storage location. And it’s good if the performer tracks this circumstance, and after that he doesn’t forget to make adjustments to the task, and the warehouse operator enters information into the information system on time and accurately ... That is, a chain of actions is formed, an error in each of which can lead to the warehouse not fulfills its obligations to the customer on time and not in full.
WMS takes on the function of a knowledge carrier and “shares” this knowledge with warehouse employees in the process of assigning tasks to operations. Moreover, the maximum effect is achieved by combining the use of WMS and radio terminals: in this case, tasks are transferred to the employee in real time, and the employee is only required to perform them accurately without the need to “fantasy” in the process of performing their tasks. official duties. Thus, the maximum speed of training new employees is achieved, and the interchangeability of personnel becomes a flexible tool for optimizing the number of personnel due to the ability to quickly, without loss of productivity, move idle employees to the most loaded work areas. At the same time, the requirements for the level of personnel qualification (and, consequently, for the cost of personnel) can be significantly reduced: after all, the only thing that is required from an employee is the exact execution of tasks transmitted by the system to the radio terminal.
The reduction in handling costs is achieved not only and not so much by transferring the knowledge base function to WMS: the main effect is due to the transfer of knowledge about optimal technological processes to WMS. The fact is that most WMS implement the so-called rules engine [We are talking about custom WMS. There are also a number of WMS being finalized on the market, but setting up warehouse business processes in this case is more complicated and is usually performed only by the system supplier. Customizable WMS, in turn, do not limit the consumer in the implementation of new schemes of warehouse cargo processing.]. Some are more successful, others less so. The essence remains the same: a WMS consultant at the implementation stage (and after the project is launched into commercial operation, if business features change, a specialist of the WMS user company) sets up business processes in the system, that is, sets all the features of warehouse cargo handling that are involved in determining the patterns of movement of goods in the warehouse and the principles of placement, commissioning and implementation of intra-warehouse movements. At the moment of initiating a particular operation, WMS determines the optimal schemes for the movement of goods from the point of view of increasing the productivity of the process, and then selects the appropriate task executor. This takes into account the area in which the appointed contractor works, his qualifications (for example, an employee who does not have sufficient qualifications to handle particularly fragile or high-value cargo will not receive such an assignment) and current workload.
Optimal workflows are not all that WMS can offer the user. I would like to once again touch upon the function of WMS as a carrier of knowledge. This function has another very interesting aspect, which is often overlooked: WMS is able to accumulate all the statistical information on the implementation of warehouse cargo handling, which allows you to get an effective tool in the hands of an experienced manager.
Receiving confirmation from the radio terminal on the completion of all warehouse cargo handling operations, WMS allows you to collect all information about their duration, including in the context of the contractor. The collected statistics make it possible to determine the standards for performing operations, which serves as the basis for the formation of an optimal system for motivating warehouse personnel. Some "advanced" WMS even allow you to inform the warehouse manager about excessive labor costs for warehouse tasks - that is, it becomes possible to control staff downtime and determine (and therefore eliminate) the causes of their occurrence. Information about the standards can serve not only for the purposes of motivation: it acts as the basis for modeling the future state of the warehouse, allows you to assess what resources and how much will be needed in the warehouse in a changing volume of cargo handling.
The availability of information on warehouse standards allows you to detail the cost of warehouse services (including for the future) and is the basis for managing warehouse costs. It's no secret that company owners always strive to reduce the cost of warehouse logistics and the warehouse is often criticized during the period of growth. sales network. If today goods are sold, for example, through 30 branches and 100 stores, and next year it is expected to grow to 60 branches and 200 stores, then the question necessarily arises: how will the costs of warehouse logistics change? Will the warehouse be able to cope with the flow of goods and fulfill its purpose? There are cases when shareholders, having familiarized themselves with the project of a proportional increase in the costs of warehouse logistics, corresponding to sales growth, demanded that warehouse functions be outsourced. In fact, without a detailed analysis of the assortment and knowledge of the cost of warehouse operations, it is impossible to even approximately assess whether such a solution will really benefit the business as a whole.
There is another, less important, but still significant aspect of the problem of the non-transparent cost of warehouse cargo handling - these are mutual settlements with warehouse customers. It doesn't matter if they are internal or external. If the distribution company ships to a retail network and together with retail network is part of a single holding, it is also necessary to build a conflict-free system of mutual settlements between the relevant divisions of the holding.
The next way to increase productivity and reduce warehouse costs with WMS is to improve the efficiency of warehouse space. It's no secret that different storage bins have different usage costs (we should rather talk about storage bins within individual storage areas): different composition of storage area personnel, different equipment used in the warehouse handling process, different warehouse handling automation equipment (for example, conveyor lines) differentiate storage areas and places by cost. In addition, storage spaces are also divided according to the principle of "convenience" for the implementation of certain warehouse operations. A common problem is the underutilization of expensive and convenient warehouse space due to manual binding of assortment to storage locations.
WMS allows you to implement the so-called principle of dynamic placement.
The essence of the dynamic placement of goods is the placement of goods in the places most suitable for a given product at a given time, depending on changes in a number of indicators, including the intensity of shipments, convenience of location, shelf life, weight and size characteristics of the goods and other features. This means that in the event of a change in the listed characteristics of the goods, its new arrival is placed in a new place, and the previously occupied places are vacated in the first place, using various methods. There is no need to manually link goods to specific storage bins; instead, storage rules are managed by warehouse business technologists. It should be noted that this principle is not equally successfully implemented in various WMS, which imposes increased requirements on specialists responsible for choosing a WMS. Many articles have been written on the topic of choosing a WMS. In this article, the authors only try to draw additional attention to the importance of the WMS selection process: after all, this stage is key in determining the actual cost of implementing a warehouse management automation system (it is possible that with an insufficiently thought-out choice, the customer will have to spend some additional money on finalizing the functionality of the system) and, accordingly, in determining the timing of the implementation and payback of the project. It is possible that an incompletely thought-out choice of WMS can lead to a situation where, according to the results of the project for implementing an automated warehouse management system, it will not be possible to return the funds spent.
The implementation of dynamic placement is especially relevant for warehouses that use specialized equipment in the process of cargo handling, such as conveyor lines, vertical storage carousels and robotic equipment. The high cost of such warehouse handling tools makes it necessary to use their capabilities to the fullest, and without an efficient dynamic allocation mechanism, this is unlikely to be done (goods, of course, will be stored in these high-performance storage bins, but not the one that really has the maximum turnover).
Thus, the dynamic allocation of stocks allows not only to optimize the use of warehouse space, equipment and personnel. This principle makes it possible to generally increase the throughput of the warehouse, which is especially important when the existing warehouse ceases to cope with the load assigned to it and the question “Should we build a new warehouse?” is increasingly in the air. Unfortunately, not all implementation projects pay due attention to this principle, and it is precisely this principle that makes it possible to obtain the maximum economic effect from implementation by optimizing labor costs and the costs of using special equipment.
What is the reason for the lack of return on the implemented WMS? The answer to this question lies in the organization and approach to the implementation process and in setting the goals for which the change is started. information support warehouse. Any errors in the implementation of warehouse processes can lead, if not to catastrophic consequences, then certainly to very serious ones. And it's not just about mistakes: it is necessary to correctly determine the organization and information support of not only the company's key business processes, but also secondary processes. After all, the economic effect of implementation is, among other things, the result of the synergy effect, and non-optimality in one seemingly insignificant process can significantly reduce the throughput of a warehouse and, accordingly, increase the cost of warehouse logistics. It should also be taken into account that as a result of the implementation of WMS, warehouse processes are likely to change significantly (especially in the case of a transition from a semi-automated warehouse system to a modern WMS in combination with the use of radio terminals).
Of course, it is also possible to implement historically established processes, but this may not lead to optimization of the use of personnel and equipment due to the suboptimal nature of such processes (there are not so many warehouses at the moment whose processes have been carefully designed and modeled). And the implementation of optimal, at first glance, well-established processes is not always appropriate within the framework of a WMS implementation project: systems of this class implement the ideology and principles of work that have been tested by time, that is, they may be more appropriate from the point of view of the rational organization of warehouse cargo handling. It should also be taken into account that any, even, at first glance, the most perfect system still has certain limitations, which can become an obstacle to the implementation of the requirements for the organization of warehouse logistics.
Thus, the issue of optimizing the technological processes of the warehouse during the implementation comes first, because it is due to such optimization that the maximum effect is achieved. WMS in this case is only a tool for implementing optimal schemes for warehouse cargo handling. A powerful, flexible tool, but not much of a decisive task if it supports processes that are not quite successfully implemented (and the payback of the implementation project in this case is a big question).
One of the interesting ways effective organization warehouse processes is to form a mixed implementation team. Not one, but two teams are invited to the project (at least for the stages related to the design of warehouse business processes): one team specializes directly in WMS, and the other specializes in warehouse processes and, at the same time, has work experience with multiple WMS. Knowledge of the functionality of several automated warehouse management systems expands the “horizons” of vision of various options for implementing warehouse processes. In addition, with such an approach to the implementation of the implementation project, a healthy conflict of interests of two teams arises - one team is interested in the implementation of warehouse business processes in WMS as close as possible to the current processes of warehouse cargo handling, and the other team is interested in the optimality of the designed processes. Perhaps this is a more complicated option from the point of view of organizing work, but the result will justify itself: at the junction of two sources of knowledge, two approaches, those business processes of warehouse cargo handling will be formed that will satisfy the needs of the customer to the maximum extent, including in the future. There are precedents for such an approach, and, as a rule, the customer only benefits from this.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the use of WMS functionality allows you to significantly increase the throughput of the warehouse by increasing the productivity of personnel, the efficient use of specialized warehouse equipment and the economical use of warehouse space. However, for this it is necessary, firstly, to correctly understand the goals of WMS implementation and soberly evaluate the benefits of implementation. Secondly, it requires some effort to select a project team and properly organize the project.
From the point of view of goals, it is necessary to understand that it is not entirely correct to demand a reduction in the costs of warehouse logistics through the implementation of WMS. It is more correct to say that, taking into account the payback period, it is expected to increase the productivity of the warehouse and the quality of warehouse services without increasing the number of personnel and without expanding warehouse space. It follows that it is necessary to make a decision on the implementation of WMS at a certain stage in the development of the sales network (sales growth) of the company, and one of possible causes the lack of effect from the implementation lies in the fact that the goals of implementation do not correspond to the current level of development of the company's business.
Having decided to automate warehouse management, you should remember that there are no trifles in the WMS implementation project: you need to carefully approach each of the stages. At the selection stage, not only the cost of the project is laid down, but also its payback period, and the relationship between these factors can be both direct and inverse. Business requirements change over time, and it is very important that the chosen system and the principles of organization of warehouse technological processes, laid down at the implementation stage, are focused not only on the current state of the warehouse, but also on the future. The implementation project itself should not turn into a process of replacing the current information support with a new working system. By initially correctly placing the emphasis in the implementation project and focusing on the implementation of the business requirements of the organization of warehouse cargo processing, and not on the functionality of WMS, you can get a really effective business tool, not only self-sustaining, but also, in the long term, bringing tangible cost savings.
Journal "Director of Information Service", No. 1, 2008
// January, 2008
At a certain point in time, any enterprise operating warehouse space is faced with the need for changes in warehousing and cargo handling technologies. A competent approach to the design and implementation of changes will improve the quality of the warehouse while maintaining an acceptable level of costs for its equipment and maintenance.
An analysis of the activities of a number of distribution companies shows that there is a relationship between the main economic indicators the work of the distribution company and approaches to managing stocks and warehouses. As the distribution company's turnover grows, warehouse process management errors have a negative impact on the level of demand satisfaction and lead to a disproportionate increase in the need for warehouse space.
Timely investment in the implementation of projects aimed at improving efficiency operating activities, much cheaper than "patching holes" and correcting the consequences of serious errors. That is why it is important to prevent problems by developing your own staff and using the best practices of other companies.
The symptoms of warehouse process management errors are: lack of space, inefficient use of equipment and technical resources, high costs for storage and handling of goods, poor quality of customer service.
The task of increasing the efficiency of the warehouse, if it has already been built and is in operation, is feasible without significant investments in equipment and restructuring of the warehouse complex.
A competent approach to the description of processes and an understanding of the significance of the problems of managing warehouse complexes largely determine the effect of the subsequent modernization of the warehouse technology.
Obstacles to improving the efficiency of warehouse complexes can be divided into four groups: organizational (functions, powers, areas of responsibility), technological (sequence of operations, methods and algorithms), informational (information systems for accounting and data processing, communication tools) and technical (presence of machinery and equipment, depreciation of resources, compliance with requirements).
Choosing direction warehouse optimization, first of all, it is worth paying attention to improving the organization of processes and the technology of performing work - it is here that a relatively quick result can be obtained using existing equipment.
To solve technical and informational problems that can be implemented in short time with relatively low investment of funds, we can include, for example, the purchase of walkie-talkies in a warehouse to quickly call the necessary employee, the installation of a printer to print out tasks in close proximity to the acceptance or selection area, etc. However, all these innovations must be subject to the general logic of the warehouse and the planned changes. Obviously, if the warehouse plans to switch to paperless technology using data collection terminals, then the purchase of printers and walkie-talkies is inappropriate.
Sequencing
The process of optimizing warehouse technologies consists of several successive stages: the study of technological processes (logistics expertise), the development of space-planning solutions and the design of the warehouse operation technology, the preparation of the warehouse for the implementation of changes, and the implementation itself.
Logistics expertise
The purpose of the first stage is to discover the key problems, the solution of which will give the most tangible result with the minimum expenditure of resources and time.
To achieve the goal, it is necessary to determine the list of business processes, examine them, evaluate and rank the identified problems. As a rule, it is possible to single out warehouse business processes (acceptance of goods, placement, picking and shipment of orders, inventory, etc.) and related processes that implement the interaction of the warehouse and related departments (inventory management, purchasing goods, organizing the supply of goods warehouse and delivery of customer orders).
There are many methods for describing processes. One of the simplest and most accessible is the scheme of information flows, during the construction of which communication and management problems, duplicating or unnecessary operations are identified.
Figure 1 shows a simplified diagram of information flows in the process of receiving goods at the warehouse of one of the companies before optimization.
Picture. 1. Document flow when goods are received at the warehouse (simplified scheme)
Several problem areas were identified during interviews with key personnel in the process mapping. Let's just give one example. The forwarding driver provided the shipping documentation to the purchasing department manager to verify the suitability of the application, and then handed over the documents with the permission of the purchasing department to the warehouse operator. The information system of the warehouse did not receive information about the expected delivery, so the warehouse operator had to prepare a document for acceptance at a time when the car was already ready for unloading. In order to speed up the unloading and acceptance procedure, the warehouse management was allowed to carry out acceptance according to a copy of the consignment note, and after the vehicle left the warehouse, fill out a form prepared by the operator, entering additional information about the expiration dates and weight and size characteristics of the goods received.
Simultaneously with the acceptance and posting of goods in the warehouse information system, the purchasing manager performed posting of goods in the corporate information system. There was no real-time integration of these two systems. Synchronization occurred once a day and was used only to verify data on balances.
Let's consider the frequently encountered problems of warehouse processes that impede the effective organization of warehousing, cargo handling, and the fulfillment of customer orders.
In the process of receiving goods at the warehouse, such organizational and technological problems may arise as uneven load on the warehouse, high labor costs for unloading when accepting non-palletized cargo, acceptance based on copies of shipping documents that are not suitable for fixing additional information. The same stage is characterized by information and technical problems, for example, difficulties in identifying incoming goods, lack of handling equipment, lack of a ramp, lack of capacity in the area for receiving and placing incoming goods, double entry of information about the arrival in the CIS and in the warehouse ACS.
When placing goods, the capacity of the warehouse is often used inefficiently, there are no regulated methods for making a decision on the placement of goods; the goods can be randomly stored in the floor storage area, the optimization of the placement of goods in the warehouse (compacting, consolidation) is also not carried out. All of these problems are related to the category of organizational. The main information problems of placement are the lack of accounting in the information system for the movement of goods in the warehouse, fixing expiration dates, batches, series and other characteristics that affect the sequence of selection, and hence the placement of goods in the warehouse.
Picking and shipping are often accompanied by many technological problems, including the joint storage of different goods (or identical goods with different expiration dates), which leads to errors in selection; selection in pieces and boxes from any pallet in the backup storage area (many “opened” pallets); untimely replenishment of goods in the selection zone; emergency work when picking urgent orders or additional customer orders received immediately before shipment; not developed routes for storekeepers and the lack of a part of the range in storage places available for selection in boxes and pieces without using technical means. Significant time spent on searching for the necessary goods due to outdated information in the warehouse database and the discrepancy between the cell sizes and the weight and size characteristics of the goods, the stock standard and the turnover rate are the main information and technical problems of the picking and shipment process.
Processes related to the warehouse, which experts include procurement, inventory management, sales, delivery of goods to customers, should also be carefully analyzed.
For example, in the procurement and inventory management process, expert, intuitive definition of the assortment and volume of deliveries often leads to the accumulation of excess or illiquid inventory. And the lack of information about unsatisfied demand leads to a shortage of goods in the warehouse. Another organizational problem in the procurement and inventory management process is the use of an erroneous algorithm for making decisions about the volume of purchases, which leads to the accumulation of excess stocks. The lack of work on the analysis of the quality of work of suppliers (there are no statistics on underdeliveries, returns, underinvestments) can also be attributed to the main information problems.
Organizational problems may arise during the sales and delivery process, which include rush processing of orders for branches and wholesalers (urgent and large orders) and registration of several orders for one client (for one delivery address, for one shipment date) without combining before entering the stock. Finally, we list the main information problems of the sales and delivery process: the information system does not reflect the readiness of the order for shipment, statistics are not kept on underdeliveries and problems encountered during delivery, returns and their reasons are not recorded, data on balances may not correspond to the actual situation in the warehouse , sales managers see the rest of the goods in the information system, and not the quantity available for sale.
The problems identified at the analysis stage are ranked taking into account the degree of their impact on productivity, costs, customer service quality, and the most profitable sequence of their solution is determined. This will ensure that you get the most out of your changes.
Development of space-planning solutions
As a rule, among the frequently encountered problems, the most critical are the inefficient use of the warehouse space or its individual zones, the discrepancy between the parameters of warehouses and the intensity of the flow of goods.
The process of developing a warehouse layout begins with determining the number and design of storage areas, taking into account the weight and size characteristics of the stored goods and the parameters of goods movement. The next stage is the zoning of the warehouse and the development of a model for the flow of goods by warehouse zones. At the final stage, algorithms for the effective placement of goods in storage places, picking routes, and movement are developed.
Determining the number and design of storage locations
To calculate the optimal design and the required number of storage places in the warehouse, the values of stock standards, weight and size characteristics of product packages and the required storage conditions are used.
For all standard sizes of storage places used in a warehouse or planned for use, the coefficient of filling with goods by weight and by volume is calculated. In this case, the analysis is carried out for each product. The storage locations with the highest fill factors are considered optimal.
Based on the inventory ratio information, it is determined how many storage locations will be required for each item in the storage area and in the picking area. Then the storage locations calculated for the goods are grouped by storage conditions to obtain the total values of the parameters of the warehouse zones.
This approach to the design of storage locations allows the most efficient use of warehouse space, strikes a balance between the cost of warehouse equipment and satisfaction of all requirements for processing and storing goods, and standardizes storage locations in a warehouse.
The parameters of other technological zones (loading and unloading operations, acceptance, assembly, shipment) are determined on the basis of data on average daily deliveries and shipments, the volume and standard sizes of incoming and shipped goods.
Development of algorithms for efficient placement of goods
The development of algorithms for the efficient placement of goods in storage places, the movement of goods within the warehouse, picking routes is also carried out at this stage and is aimed at increasing the efficiency of using warehouse space, reducing the time for picking orders, equipment downtime, and queues.
The principles of placing goods in the warehouse depend on the method of picking orders. To reduce the picking time, goods in the storage area can be grouped, for example, by the dimensions of the packaging of the goods or by the speed of sales of goods and turnover. Each zone in the warehouse can have specific placement and picking rules. Their implementation is carried out using the mechanism for assigning a rating to cells in the warehouse automation system, as well as using the numbering system for zones, areas and cells.
Warehouse technology design
The purpose of this stage of optimization of warehouse technologies is the best distribution of functions, powers and areas of responsibility of warehouse personnel based on a process approach, which will ensure transparency of warehouse processes and increase their manageability, ensure the required level of quality in fulfilling customer orders
All planned operations in the warehouse are subject to careful study and description in the form of work instructions, taking into account the fact that all operations with goods in the warehouse must be reflected in the documents and the information system. It is desirable to use standard (for the company) forms of internal documents, duplicating operations should be excluded; it is necessary to appoint an employee responsible for the process/operation. It is necessary to register and accumulate the information necessary for making management decisions, monitoring the operation of the warehouse - the functionality of the warehouse automation system should be used to the maximum.
Initially, an enlarged list of all processes in the warehouse is determined, among which regular operations performed daily and periodic operations can be distinguished. Regular operations include shift work planning, unloading and receiving of goods, labeling of goods, its placement and internal movements, order picking and kit assembly, recalculation of selected orders, their packaging and placement in the picking area with consolidation along shipping routes, shipment of goods, regular full inventory, etc. .
Periodic operations performed in the event of non-standard situations are also subject to formalization. Periodic operations are such operations as processing substandard goods, arranging a return to the supplier, identifying and working with defects found during storage, selective inventory by article or storage location, organizing additional selection of goods when possible errors are detected, accepting a return from a client, etc.
For each of the listed operations, a work instruction is drawn up, which includes detailed description scope of work for each operation, performers, necessary information to perform the operation and outgoing documents, the technical means used.
For example, the process of receiving goods to the warehouse, shown in Figure 2, was transformed as follows (see Figure 2). The exchange of data between the CIS and the automated control system of the warehouse and the provision of information on expected deliveries by the purchasing department made it possible to significantly reduce paperwork, and also reduced the time to prepare the warehouse for the acceptance of goods and to record data in the information system.
Picture. 2. Document flow when goods are received at the warehouse (simplified scheme)
The formation of the organizational and managerial structure of the warehouse is carried out taking into account the developed technological processes.
The changes carried out contribute to centralization, improved interaction between employees, increased responsibility in the field of operational management, and even distribution of the load on the warehouse staff.
Knowing the list of operations and the amount of work on each of them, using the work performance standards, it is possible to calculate the required number of personnel in each shift, as well as the exact number of loaders, stackers, pallet trucks, elevators, ladders, gates, barcode scanners, operator workplaces, etc. .d.
Implementation of changes
The warehouse technology optimization project can be considered successful only after all the changes have been implemented. Warehouse optimization invariably entails the need to refine the information system. Therefore, the first step in implementing new technology there will be a task setting to improve the IT support of the management system. In parallel with its finalization, it is possible to carry out the necessary changes in the topology of the warehouse, as well as staff training.
Control of the implementation of changes, timely adjustment of decisions, testing of the implemented elements of the information system, development functional instructions, training of personnel - specialists, authors of decisions and events must necessarily participate in all of the above tasks. It is also important to note the role of logistics experts both in solving special logistics problems and in developing terms of reference for the modernization (or development) of the warehouse information system. Using the efforts of logistics experts at the stage of implementation of changes technological process in the warehouse will significantly reduce the risks of the transitional stage, train personnel and get the maximum effect from changes in warehouse technologies in a relatively short period of time.
Olga Kaverina, AXELOT
Considering cargo handling as an important part of the overall logistics process at the enterprise, the manager, when developing recommendations for improving efficiency, should take into account the following factors:
movement (cargo handling is always associated with the movement and movement of a certain amount of material resources, work in progress and finished products within a certain infrastructure or outside it);
time (products must be moved within production units, warehouses by a certain point in time associated with the production schedule, order time or other period of the logistics cycle);
quantity (cargo handling is associated with certain sizes of shipments or consignments);
space (the warehouse must rationally use the available space and cargo capacity).
These factors should be implemented in the management of cargo handling in accordance with the following main targets.
Increasing the efficiency of using storage capacity. Any warehouse has fixed overall dimensions and volume, which are associated with certain logistics costs. The use of storage space should be considered in two aspects. One of them is the most efficient use of the height of the warehouse premises, therefore, firms often use equipment that allows warehousing consignments of goods on maximum height buildings (vertical use of space). Another aspect is the maximum use of storage space (horizontal use of space).
Improving operational efficiency. This goal is to minimize the types of cargo units handled. Most firms strive to store and formulate orders to consumers, even with a large range of products from a small number of unified in size and weight shipments (batch, containers). Operating with such shipments and cargo units allows for better loading of equipment, saving on operating costs.
Improving working conditions for workers and reducing manual labor. Improving working conditions has a multifaceted nature, including such things as improving the safety of cargo handling operations, the ergonomic and environmental characteristics of workplaces, improving labor protection and safety, etc. Important role in raising logistics efficiency cargo processing is played by the mechanization and automation of warehouse work, which can significantly increase productivity by minimizing manual operations (especially heavy manual labor when performing loading and unloading operations).
Improvement of logistics service. Cargo handling improves the efficiency of customer service through a faster response to their requests. The attention of logistics management should be directed to reducing the duration of cargo handling compared to transportation.
Decrease logistics costs. This goal is one of the most important and should be constantly monitored when applying new cargo handling technologies and equipment.
In warehouse logistics there are no standards, compliance with which will ensure the efficient operation of the enterprise. The only comparative indicators are the performance of competitive firms, which act as benchmarks in the development of their own storage system.