Purchasing, logistics and transport are all part of the same line: the supply chain. This links all the stakeholders in the supply chain. Many players are involved in this scheme, each playing a specific role defined upstream. As such, it encompasses the functions of purchasing, production, logistics and transport. This is an essential unit for the operation of a company creating products. It is naturally associated with the industrial sector, although other business sectors may also be involved.
The purchasing/procurement department is at the start of the supply chain.
The role of the staff in this function is to optimize the company’s entire procurement process, by sourcing and negotiating with suppliers. Following the purchase of inventory, the players set up an inventory management system.
In this respect, the purchasing department represents an essential function, ensuring the constant supply of a company.
At the heart of production, there are a number of issues at stake, including the routing of raw materials, the shipment of finished products and their storage.
The role of logistics is to answer these questions by coordinating the various tools and players involved, to enable products to be transported.
Logisticians take charge of the management of physical flows, organizing the order book, the storage process and the scheduling of deliveries according to the transport route used.
Closely linked to logistics, the transport function is downstream from logistics. For example, transport represents the personnel responsible for the operational delivery of finished products.
Many branches of industry are involved in shipping: administration, import-export, customs, etc. This underlines the importance of these professions to the smooth running of the company!
This sector represents a complete process specific to each organization. For example, in industry: without a purchasing department, raw materials cannot be delivered; without a logistics department, production cannot be optimized; without a transport department, (semi-)finished products cannot be transported.
