Title: Improving company-wide logistics through collaborative track and trace IT services

Authors: Fabian Dunke; Stefan Nickel

Addresses: Institute of Operations Research, Discrete Optimisation and Logistics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany ' Institute of Operations Research, Discrete Optimisation and Logistics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany

Abstract: Under the objective of improving intra-organisational logistics processes, this paper investigates the use of collaborative IT applications-based on track and trace technology. We report on company-wide logistics improvements attained through the introduction of a collaborative track and trace IT solution. In a chemical company, we considered the dependent processes of truck arrivals at the main gate and loading operations at stations inside the site. Without track and trace assistance, uncertainties in processing steps and driving times as well as space limitations lead to uncontrolled truck inflow to stations. To achieve a controllable situation, we developed an online IT application where at gate and station real-time data is collected. Based on the data, we employed a site entry control ensuring smooth station operations. Logistics performance indicators such as the average and maximum truck number at the station and site sojourn times of trucks were reduced significantly.

Keywords: logistical systems optimisation; logistics information systems; collaboration tools; information sharing; on-site logistics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2020.105916

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2020 Vol.35 No.3, pp.329 - 353

Received: 19 Jul 2017
Accepted: 09 Jun 2018
Published online: 18 Mar 2020 *

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