Page 9 - Logistics News - March_April 2022
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O P I N ION
locations, unlike DCs, constantly move. Stock accuracy of what is expected
(or available) versus what is required where is difficult without adequate,
timely planning and feedback (product, quantity and location). Systems
and surveillance are required, but not always effective or possible. Visibility
and/or prediction are imperative to ensure end points are known. News Where have all the flowers gone?
coverage confuses due to disinformation or dated repetition. Long time passing.
Where have all the flowers gone?
• Military logistics. Invasion on paper is clear at the start to the aggressor
and planned for accordingly. Potential invasion is less clear to the defender, Long time ago.
but their reaction is unclear to the aggressor. Add non-combative Where have all the flowers gone?
supporters (NATO, USA, EU, China) and this is a supply chain (and The girls have picked them every one.
humanity) nightmare. Supply is relatively simple for supporters – choose Oh, When will you ever learn?
what is available immediately, surplus or past its sell-by date and send.
Then the aggressor or defender has to move the right stuff to the right Oh, When will you ever learn?
place, preferably without the other side knowing this. Pete Seeger
Logistics has to cope with moving targets where plan and execution
rarely dovetail. Risks are high, causing enormous loss of transport, supplies
and wasted expenditure. Rapid adaption and using what you have are key.
Getting logistics right can win the war or beat the competition.
‘Where have all the flowers gone’ – Pete Seeger
Maybe surprisingly, more flowers are supplied to the UK and Europe now
from East Africa rather than from the Netherlands. Adaption, slick logistics, L O GI S T I CS NEWS
market intelligence and strong reliable business systems still enable
competitiveness from a distance cost-effectively, showing that we need to
keep alert and alive “long time passing”.
www .l o g ist i csn e w s .c o .z a M A RC H/A P R IL 2022 7
