Autor: Michael Toth

Globalization and the growing number of supply chain participants lead to increasing cargo transport service and, thus, to higher energy demand. Although energy prices increase at the same time, the energy balance of production networks remains unconsidered during in the network design phase. Hence, the research project E²Log analyzes how logistics networks and production environment can be coordinated in order to improve energy efficiency. In the first project phase, based on the supply chain for the production of the Volkswagen Amarok, the use case partners have derived simulation scenarios and enhanced a simulation tool to evaluate measures for the efficiency increase without ignoring classic logistic objectives soon.

Handling complexity is one of the key topics of producing enterprises worldwide. It can be noted that enterprises are indeed able to coop with the complexity of single processes due to a function-oriented organisation, yet the same organisational paradigm leads to local objective systems that in many cases are contrary to the global goals of the enterprise. The same problem is reflected and supported by the enterprise’s IT systems. Thus, in this paper we present an approach to convert the inflexible function oriented operations into comprehensive processes by introducing special IT systems, so-called logistic assistance systems. To illustrate the approach we introduce the problem of integrated order sequencing and transport planning in the automotive industry and present a prototypical solution.

Considering new challenges in logistics planning and supply processes, companies are forced to plan their supply chains relating to more flexibility, effectiveness and cost reduction. Today, supply processes are planned once and never changed due to new demand or capacity situations. This article will introduce a new approach of integrated logistics planning combining demand and capacity planning (DCP) with supply planning concepts. The result is an Logistic Assistance System (LAS) as a new generation of Digital-Logistics-Software, which allows dynamic supply chain planning by providing DCP-functionalities with a simulation based approach. The developed simulation component is able to handle the complexity of high-value-added branches with efficient algorithms, to forecast the supply chain behaviour (future stock range, dynamic processes and resulting costs) taking different scenarios into account. It has been demonstrated to produce convincing results in different projects.

Globalization led to a continuous increase of international sourcing-strategies. The saving potentials that can be realized with these strategies are however bought with less flexibility and high order lead times. In order to support the expediter in planning and controlling global supply chains, a holistic approach has been developed in order to show disposable inventories in the supply network and to make future inventory level changes transparent for the expediter and the sales department. The basis for this solution is a variable assistant system framework which makes a dynamic stock range monitoring possible and therefore offers available-to-promise (ATP) functionalities for global supply relations.