Logistics & Supply Chain Management

Question: Discuss about the Logistics Supply Chain Management and Manufacturing. Answer: Introduction: Logistics Process can be defined as the relationship existing between manufacturing and the products movement. Logistical processes should deal with production aspects, including time, quality and costs. A company when successfully organizes this process of logistics; the company can track progression through production, consumption and clearance (Appendix 4). History of Qube: Qube is one of the largest incorporated supplier of export and import logistics services of Australia with nationwide operations that recommend a wider range of services. Qube Logistics shammed the idea of associating port like services into one operating set and became one of Australias best logistics company to tender international and local logistics services in-house, retaining control over the whole process. In the year 2006, DP World obtained the large-scale assets of P O Steam Navigation Company. In 2007, Kaplan Equity Limited took into account the automotive and marine containers along with landside logistics from DP World, initiated the two businesses General Stevedoring and PO Trans Australia (POTA) along with PO Automotive where DP World retained its shareholding in both the organizations (www.qube.com.au 2017). In 2009 November, Kaplan association attained 25% of the shareholding from DP World. POTA shifted to POAGS where international shipping company shareholders along with investors sustained to own POAGS. Back in August 2011, corporatization through holding of logistics assets of Qube Logistics was completed and formation of Qube Holdings Limited was done. In March 2012, Qube Ports and Bulk legitimately became Qube Logistics (www.qube.com.au 2017). Qube Logistics: Qube Logistics offers different services like warehousing, container parks and these services covering road and rail transport and international cargo. For meeting the consumer needs, Qube offers amalgamation of services. Within four years of operation, Qube prolonged and urbanized the business to become the largest service provider of logistics services in Australia. Qube logistics focused on exports, imports and building the infrastructure of ports along with internal locations. With an objective of offering complete solutions in supply chain to clients, Qube improved on its innovative technology and applications. The technology system exemplify unparallel real time, status checking and tracking. GPS has been used in trucks; the system would mechanically send messages with no activation obligatory by driver. An incorporated system helps the customers to verify online with actual time data (Gilmour 2013). The system also facilitates the customers in holding or owning the shipment details. Qube Logistics boasts of a senior management team having widespread experience across a variety of industries agreeing to the customers to help from this collective knowledge (www.qube.com.au 2017). The Qube Logistics management has been offering their experience in industries like Retail/FMCG where its IT infrastructure offers flawless end-tpo-end-and-trace system of freight that is suitable for the clients. Adding to that is the cross docking amenities that permits fast dispatch to the clients godown or premises. It also extends its services to the mining sector where its present mining-related infrastructure has been engineering explicit solutions wherever the requirement is, be it on road, sea or rail. Qube Logistics have been shifting agricultural goods from the lug grain to carrying tractors along with moving unusual objects within the whole of Australia. Qube Logistics have the ability to expand inventive, resourceful and competitively priced supply chain solution. In Australia, Qubes freight is segmented in air, freight, rail and shipping. It has been delivering equal standards to all its delivering modules (Refer Appendix 2). The company has been doing exceptionally well in maintaining standards required to keep ahead in market. Australian Logistics Market: The Australian logistics market is a highly fragmented one with around 75% of the market consisting firms of small and medium sized enterprises. In the last few years though, there has been an emergence of quite a number of new companies like DHL, Linfox and Qube. Technology has been playing a significant role in the process of managing (Fernie 2014). A fully incorporated logistics system proficient of managing Supply Chain until the very end is the aim of all the service providers. Lindsay Australia Ltd, Toll Group and Qube have been fighting it out for the supremacy in the market. The US $35 billion market for domestic logistics in Australia offers opportunities for companies like Qube and Lindsay to form logistics powerhouses (Pateman, Cahoon and Chen 2016). The Australian logistics market plays an important role in delivering required goods on time to different sectors like fishing, mining, agricultural (Refer to Appendix 1). Current Issue facing Logistics management in Australia: Technological Issues: The world is changing rapidly and the current technology level presents unusual challenges to the logistics industry and with advancement of technology, supplementary challenges may mount (Talk 2016). Technology should be best use for the betterment of society and environment that can give great results in the business. Additional Costs: New technology at times can be very expensive. As per Heizer and Barry (2013), companies these days need to have up-to-date technology that might offer them a premeditated and spirited improvement; however, investment level is something that needs to be taken due care of. Focus should be on additional comprehensive budgeting and forecasting that needs to be done to make certain the additional costs that are acquired are practicable. Technology Dependence: Every passing day witnesses more companies going the digital way. Information are getting gathered in large numbers and are being stored in internet servers and on computers. It would be hard to find a single company in Australia that does not possess some sort of electronic technology required to accumulate information. Failing of technology can lead to several problems, and for that, back-up information is essential to a second, or third source, guaranteeing it is not lost (Christopher 2016). This sometimes leads to added costs. Regional Issues: Australia is a huge country and due to its dimension and low density in population, some provincial areas find it tricky in obliging to new technologies (Gilmour et al. 2013). These areas might lack any sort of particular infrastructure. For instance, the speeds of internets are very slow and response of mobile phones can be weaker in regional centers than other major cities in Australia. Issues like this portray challenges to logistics operator in lesser domestic cities. Resistance to Change: According to Christopher and Tatham (2014), a continuous challenge is the traditional confrontation to change. Employees of organizations might feel that there is enough difficulty leading to this change and perhaps it might not be a necessary factor. Changes related to technology can be at times very frustrating and alarming to a workplace. Logistics witnesses completion of new ERP system that might take numerous weeks. Employees need to experience training and quickly fiddle with the new systems. Organizations need to administer such changes in an effective manner ensuring every employee understands the need for such a change, supporting where it is needed (Wang, Jie and Abareshi 2015). Adjusting to New Systems: It is not only related to employees who are at risk of lagging behind following implementation of new system, but taking in the whole company and their operation. Reassigning information that is old to new systems consumes a lot of time and can be puzzling too. Companies at times might require additional exterior support to assist them in coping with changes. At times, this may lead to delay in allotment or manufacture. Qube Logistics Technology: Qube Logistics applies high-tech technology system offering unparallel real-time, 24*7 tracking and category. Qube offers technology in GPS-based technology of Geofence, Global trace and track system, transport and warehouse visibility system. Qube logistics functions through one national system for all domestic business operations where it is being updated in actual real time for the purpose of 24/7 online tracking. The trucks that are being used by Qube Logistics are all GPS permitted where PODs are mechanically sent after the electronic acceptance takes place. Qube Logistics have been influential in letting their clients track freight in genuine time along with a status message that is being send automatically supported by Geofences. The interesting part is that drivers do not need to activate the same. Any customer can take pleasure in B2B line on their operating systems with updates taking place of real-time data. Rotabox Supply Chain Solution for IGO: IGOs copper and zinc concentrates in Geraldton, were offered to Qube Bulk for the purpose of handling and maintenance. The supply chain engrosses three specific quad road trains, a armada of Qube concentrate containers along with the existence of award-winning Rotabox ship loading resolution. The team of Qube Bulk has over the past ten months worked closely with the authorities of Geraldton Port for demonstrating lessening of significant dust that might crop up while using Rotabox as balanced to other traditional bulk ship loader. During this period there was over 150kt of concentrates were weighed down, with results depicting that the dust that is being generated from the Rotabox is around 90 less to what the bulk ship loaders produce. The result has been excellent in proving that Qubes Rotabox is the worlds best environmental practice, which can manage concentrates. The transition movement has gone well without much serious incidents and Qube has continued to display suppleness and pledge to the business of IGO by shifting resources around, ensuring targets in the production of the organization are obtained. RotaMist: Qubes RotaMist structure reins renegade emissions of dust and odour while loading mass concentrates. The system takes into account rotary atomizers in dispersing a standardized mist for formation of ordinary dust containment barrier and reduces the possibility of loss of products. The rotary atomizers can generate water droplets from 20 to 150 microns forming mitigation of dust to its maximum potential. The significant benefits of RotaMist are it is flexible in nature, which is apposite for all vessel cargo devise. Moreover, it does not need any maintenance cost to go with it as it is not flat like other systems. Delivering Sustainable Environmental Solution to Powerhouse: Qube is able to offer BHP Billiton with an instant solution helping in getting their nickel concentrate creation into the market place, without much disturbances and limitations previously experienced at Esperance (www.qube.com.au 2017). This was possible due to the modernization of the Qube Rotabox and the elating time of response for providing shipping and speed up approvals regarding export of nickel sulphide with the help of Port of Geraldton. This rejoinder was helped by exceptional work and hard work related to health, environmental safety and commercial teams at the Geraldton Port Authority (www.qube.com.au 2017). The Qube team has worked well in securing the prospect of having the largest mining house in the world as a Qube client and the Geraldton Port Authority. The members of the team had been through BHP Billitons Perth-based induction, after which they were being flown to the location for the site-based initiation and familiarization. Adding to that is an ample evaluation regime on the BHP Billitons mobile plant and equipment. In no less than six weeks Qube was able to counter and distribute he first ever Qube Concentrate Containers (QCCs) to the site without confrontation (Hingley 2016). Dedication of drivers and the management team should be thanked for their endeavor in successfully implementing the same. Proper use of technology not only enhances the smoothness in work process but also takes care of the community and environment in the best possible way, ensuring safety that is significant in case of technology (Prajogo and Sohal 2013). Qube logistics have used cutting-edge technology in its operations through which it has been able to generate a lot of revenue and profit for themselves through which they have started charity work. Qube logistics have started identifying communities and charities where it wants to support. Moreover, Qube logistics is devoted to a sustainable environment within the organisation, across all its peripheral operations. Advanced technology can be at times hazardous too, for which organizations need to provide a safe working environment for its employees who would be engaging themselves in such work (Mangan, Lalwani and Lalwani 2016). The Qube logistics policy makes sure that the employees are conscious of their continuing responsibilities to their workplace and the environment related to technology. Safety has always been a core logistics value for Qube Australia. They have safety working observance and techniques that have been designed in a way that abolishes injuries and accidents. Qube logistics has made sufficient development in technological aspects and the company has remarkable security records is the outcome of senior management (Enright and Petty 2016). The senior management has the responsibility of guaranteeing all employees, contractors and visitors are suitably trained, educated and succinct on safety measures. Qubes tackling of Issues related to Technology: Additional Costs: Qube Logistics has done well in better forecasting and planning of things. They have looked into different technological aspects and come up with innovative things like the RotaMist and RotaBox, which has been influential in reducing environmental hazards, which is so often the case in Logistics Company (www.qube.com.au 2017). Dependence on technology: Qube Australia has come up with different back-up systems for storing information in case the main server goes off any time, which might result in data loss if it is not, stored somewhere else. Backup needs to be encrypted that comprises of the sensitive data. There is a special team in Qube Logistics where they do verification of backups ensuring the files are retrievable. Resistance to change: Qube has a team dedicated for better employee management. Its HR department is influential in arranging training programs where employees are acquainted with the new systems. They get to experience it in their training rooms before they are given the opportunity to handle it in real situation (Taniguchi, Thompson and Yamada 2016). Without the help of proper training, it is not possible for employees to handle some technologies that are being improvised each day. Employees should get support from the management where they should arrange training facilities for the employees to learn and implement in their job process (Gekara et al. 2014). Proper training would enable them to perform better as they would understand beforehand the requirements of the technology. Adjusting to New Technologies: Qube logistics have been able to plan better than most of the other companies which is why it has been much successful than its rivals. Its dedicated team has been able to support and motivate the organizations people in getting adjusted to new technologies. Qube Logistics have taken implementation of new technologies in stages. They have not rushed into things, which might have jeopardized the whole process. They have been patient enough to try to test out the new technologies before implementing the same. Collaboration might be difficult in supply chain; however, it can harvest many rewards. Good affiliation between customers and suppliers should exist in assisting business to speed up the whole business process. In the process trust, gets increased that leads to savings in economy. Integrated systems should be tremendously beneficial. Conclusion: Technology is something that can go both ways. Like any other normal thing it has its pros and cons. Companies have been using technology to the fullest where they are minimizing the employees work stress, where work is becoming easy and less time consuming. However, one has to be well trained in order to understand how effectively a particular technology works. Qube Australia has been phenomenal in its ways of tackling issues related to technological aspects. Australian logistics market has some issues or challenges related to technology, however, companies like Qube are gradually digging in to make the market an issue free one. A healthy competition in the Australian logistics market would make things easier as organizations are focusing on better ways to make things easy in both rural and urban areas, aiming to improve the countrys infrastructure. Qubes RotaMist and Rotabox technology have been exceptional in the mining sector of Australia. Qubes pledge is to make more such innova tive stuffs that remains environmental friendly and where people can use their skill and expertise amidst proper support from the management for a better result. Reference: Christopher, M. and Tatham, P. eds., 2014.Humanitarian logistics: Meeting the challenge of preparing for and responding to disasters. Kogan Page Publishers. Christopher, M., 2016.Logistics supply chain management. Pearson UK. Enright, M.J. and Petty, R., 2016.Australia's competitiveness: from lucky country to competitive country. John Wiley Sons. Fernie, J., 2014. 02 Relationships in the supply chain.Logistics and retail management: Emerging issues and new challenges in the retail supply chain, p.35. Gekara, V.O., Snell, D., Chhetri, P. and Manzoni, A., 2014. Meeting skills needs in a market-based training system: a study of employer perceptions and responses to training challenges in the Australian transport and logistics industry.Journal of Vocational Education Training,66(4), pp.491-505. Gilmour, P., 2013. Benchmarking supply chain operations.International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management. Gilmour, P., Borg, G., Duffy, P.A., Johnston, N.D., Limbek, B.E. and Shaw, M.R., 2013. Customer service: differentiating by market segment.International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management. Heizer, R. and Barry, R., 2013.Operation Management, Sustainability and Supply Chain management(Vol. 11). Pearson, UK. Hingley, M.K., 2016.The New Cultures of Food: Marketing Opportunities from Ethnic, Religious and Cultural Diversity. CRC Press. Mangan, J., Lalwani, C. and Lalwani, C.L., 2016.Global logistics and supply chain management. John Wiley Sons. Pateman, H., Cahoon, S. and Chen, S.L., 2016. The role and value of collaboration in the logistics industry: an empirical study in Australia.The Asian Journal of Shipping and Logistics,32(1), pp.33-40. Prajogo, D. and Sohal, A., 2013. Supply chain professionals: A study of competencies, use of technologies, and future challenges.International Journal of Operations Production Management,33(11/12), pp.1532-1554. Qube.com.au. (2017).Qube | Logistics |ExpertiseExpertise. https://www.qube.com.au/logistics/expertise [Accessed 25 Jan. 2017]. Qube.com.au. (2017).Qube | Logistics |Specialised Logistics. https://www.qube.com.au/logistics/services/specialised-logistics [Accessed 25 Jan. 2017]. Talk, O.M., 2016. Operations management. Taniguchi, E., Thompson, R.G. and Yamada, T., 2016. New opportunities and challenges for city logistics.Transportation Research Procedia,12, pp.5-13. Wang, M., Jie, F. and Abareshi, A., 2015. Evaluating logistics capability for mitigation of supply chain uncertainty and risk in the Australian courier firms.Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics,27(3), pp.486-498.