OPTIMIZING FROM THE INSIDE OUT There are a multitude of reasons why you should pay more attention to your internal logistics.
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wenty years ago at this time, Seinfeld aired its famous “yada yada yada” episode — and all of us gained a new catchphrase for how easy it can be to skip over or miss crucial elements of a story. Take away the cameras, actors, and witty repartee, and you could be describing the fate that often befalls internal logistics, especially when it comes to acknowledging its importance. Although this practice is clearly alive and well, it is anything but a common
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topic of discussion in most logistics circles, and even when it is, the attention paid to it is often cursory. As a result, many companies could be forgoing a number of prime opportunities to improve everything from their workflows to their bottom lines. With that in mind, allow me to elaborate on why this frequently underrated area of the supply chain is truly no joke. WHAT IT IS Internal logistics describes all of the
hand-offs, transfers, and flows that happen within the four “walls” of an organization, whether those walls are literal or figurative. As such, it concerns how materials, documents, supplies, and data move between one department, area, location, or division of your business to another. Some examples of this area of logistics include ensuring that: Offices, manufacturing plants, or store locations have fixtures and key pieces of clerical equipment, paper, printer ink, and other supplies for