Market Opportunities Analysis for Logistics Solutions Provider Case Danzas Solutions

Tutkielman tavoitteena oli suunitella markkina-analyysi ja sitä käyttäen määritellä Danzasin Solutions liiketoimintayksikön mahdollisuuksia laajentaa toimintaansa Suomen terveydenhuolto/ lääke- ja elektroniikka/ telekommunikaatiosektoreilla. Danzas Solutions toimisi logistiikkaintegraattorina toimittamalla kokonaisvaltaisia logistisia ratkaisuja. Tutkimus tehtiin haastattelemalla neljää Danzasin asiakasta. Mahdollisimman laajan ja yleistettävän tuloksen saamiseksi haastateltavat valitiin logistiikan ulkoistamisasteeltaan vaihteleviksi. Tutkimus tehtiin ensin tutkimalla sekundääristä informaatiota markkinoilta ja täydentämällä sitä haastatteluista saadulla kvalitatiivisella primääri informaatiolla ja case yrityksen sisäisellä analyysillä. Painopiste tutkimuksessa oli selvittää yritysten ulkoistamiseen ja logistiikkakumppanin valintaan vaikuttavia kriteereitä. Logistiikkaintegraattorille suurimmat mahdollisuudet löytyvät elektroniikka/ telekommunikaatiosektorilta. Logistiikka tällä sektorilla on vaativaa ja yrityksillä ei ole resursseja hallita sitä itse. Terveydenhuolto/ lääkesektorilla yrityksillä on yleensä muut keinot jakeluketjun hallintaan ja ne eivät tarvitse logistiikkaintegraattorin palveluita.

Designing gainsharing model variations with logistics service company

This thesis studies, in collaboration with a Finnish logistics service company, gainsharing and the development of a gainsharing models in a logistics outsourcing context. The purpose of the study is to create various gainsharing model variations for the use of a service provider and its customers in order to develop and enhance the customer’s processes and operations, create savings and improve the collaboration between the companies. The study concentrates on offering gainsharing model alternatives for companies operating in internal logistics outsourcing context. Additionally, the prerequisites for the gainsharing arrangement are introduced. In the beginning of the study an extensive literature review is conducted. There are three main themes explored which are the collaboration in an outsourcing context, key account management and gainsharing philosophy. The customer expectations and experiences are gathered by interviewing case company’s employees and its key customers. In order to design the gainsharing model prototypes, customers and other experts’ knowledge and experiences are utilized. The result of this thesis is five gainsharing model variations that are based on the empirical and theoretical data. In addition, the instructions related to each created model are given to the case company, but are not available in this paper

Generation of a business plan for a logistics service provider

The purpose of this Master’s Thesis was to study the suitability of transportation of liquid wastes to the portfolio of the case company. After the preliminary study the waste types were narrowed down to waste oil and oily waste from ports. The thesis was executed by generating a business plan. The qualitative research of this Master’s Thesis was executed as a case study by collecting information from multiple sources. The business plan was carried out by first familiarizing oneself with literature related to business planning which was then used as a base for the interview of the customer and interviews of the personnel of the case company. Additionally, internet sources and informal conversational interviews with the personnel of the case company were used and these interviews took place during the preliminary study and this thesis. The results of this thesis describe the requirements for the case company that must be met to be able to start operations. Import of waste oil fits perfectly to the portfolio of the case company and it doesn’t require any big investments. Success of the import of waste oil is affected by price of crude oil, exchange rate of ruble and legislation among others. Transportation of oily waste from ports, in turn, is not a core competence of the case company so more actions are required to start operating such as subcontracting with a waste management company.

Development of Imatra`s logistics hub as a part of Nordic region

This thesis is dedicated to enhancement and development of Imatra`s logistics potential in order to increase its key parameters and improve the efficiency of the region. To find out the most promising logistics projects was proposed a tool “integral-matrix analysis” which enables to make the priority among the list of proposed projects. Description and functionality of the tool are explained in detail. As a result of analysis, the list of priority projects for the development of the region is presented. Project with the greatest potential is implemented in the thesis work. In conclusion, recommendations for the further development of economic potential of the region are given. The thesis is basically focused on literature review, overlook of secondary and primary data (including the results of the interviews, which were carried out among companies that represent the logistics market). Primary data was collected in interviews with the representatives of the companies, who regularly use logistics services. Total effects that make various Russian regions and companies on the Finnish logistics is summed up and discussed.

Drivers and Barriers of Collaboration in the Value Chain of Paperboard-Packed Consumer Goods

Value chain collaboration has been a prevailing topic for research, and there is a constantly growing interest in developing collaborative models for improved efficiency in logistics. One area of collaboration is demand information management, which enables improved visibility and decrease of inventories in the value chain. Outsourcing of non-core competencies has changed the nature of collaboration from intra-enterprise to cross-enterprise activity, and this together with increasing competition in the globalizing markets have created a need for methods and tools for collaborative work. The retailer part in the value chain of consumer packaged goods (CPG) has been studied relatively widely, proven models have been defined, and there exist several best practice collaboration cases. The information and communications technology has developed rapidly, offering efficient solutions and applications to exchange information between value chain partners. However, the majority of CPG industry still works with traditional business models and practices. This concerns especially companies operating in the upstream of the CPG value chain. Demand information for consumer packaged goods originates at retailers' counters, based on consumers' buying decisions. As this information does not get transferred along the value chain towards the upstream parties, each player needs to optimize their part, causing safety margins for inventories and speculation in purchasing decisions. The safety margins increase with each player, resulting in a phenomenon known as the bullwhip effect. The further the company is from the original demand information source, the more distorted the information is. This thesis concentrates on the upstream parts of the value chain of consumer packaged goods, and more precisely the packaging value chain. Packaging is becoming a part of the product with informative and interactive features, and therefore is not just a cost item needed to protect the product. The upstream part of the CPG value chain is distinctive, as the product changes after each involved party, and therefore the original demand information from the retailers cannot be utilized as such – even if it were transferred seamlessly. The objective of this thesis is to examine the main drivers for collaboration, and barriers causing the moderate adaptation level of collaborative models. Another objective is to define a collaborative demand information management model and test it in a pilot business situation in order to see if the barriers can be eliminated. The empirical part of this thesis contains three parts, all related to the research objective, but involving different target groups, viewpoints and research approaches. The study shows evidence that the main barriers for collaboration are very similar to the barriers in the lower part of the same value chain; lack of trust, lack of business case and lack of senior management commitment. Eliminating one of them – the lack of business case – is not enough to eliminate the two other barriers, as the operational model in this thesis shows. The uncertainty of the future, fear of losing an independent position in purchasing decision making and lack of commitment remain strong enough barriers to prevent the implementation of the proposed collaborative business model. The study proposes a new way of defining the value chain processes: it divides the contracting and planning process into two processes, one managing the commercial parts and the other managing the quantity and specification related issues. This model can reduce the resistance to collaboration, as the commercial part of the contracting process would remain the same as in the traditional model. The quantity/specification-related issues would be managed by the parties with the best capabilities and resources, as well as access to the original demand information. The parties in between would be involved in the planning process as well, as their impact for the next party upstream is significant. The study also highlights the future challenges for companies operating in the CPG value chain. The markets are becoming global, with toughening competition. Also, the technology development will most likely continue with a speed exceeding the adaptation capabilities of the industry. Value chains are also becoming increasingly dynamic, which means shorter and more agile business relationships, and at the same time the predictability of consumer demand is getting more difficult due to shorter product life cycles and trends. These changes will certainly have an effect on companies' operational models, but it is very difficult to estimate when and how the proven methods will gain wide enough adaptation to become standards.

Laajennetun lähettämön sisäisten materiaalivirtojen hallinta leipomoteollisuudessa

Työn tavoitteena on esitellä suunnitelma VAASAN Oy:n Vantaan leipomon laajennetun lähettämön materiaalivirtojen hallinasta. Suunnitelma pohjautuu laskelmiin, jotka sisältävät arviot lähettämön kasvavista materiaalivirroista sekä niiden vaikutuksista lähettämön toimintaan. Laskelmien pohjalta määritetään erikokoisten varastointialueiden sijoittelu, varastointikapasiteetit sekä kunkin alueen kuormittuneisuudet. Teoriaosuus käsittelee työn taustaksi keskeisimpiä teorioita materiaalivirtojen hallinnasta, layoutsuunnittelusta sekä lähettämön toiminnoista. Kunkin osa-alueen avulla voidaan vaikuttaa yrityksen materiaalivirtojen hallintaan. Teoriaosuutta koskevaa tietoa on hankittu logistiikan alan kirjallisuudesta, erilaisista tieteellisistä julkaisuista sekä verkkomateriaaleista. Empiirisessä osuudessa esitellään aluksi Vantaan leipomon lähettämön nykyinen toimintaperiaate. Tämän jälkeen arvioidaan laajennetun lähettämön kasvavia materiaalivirtoja. Työn tuloksena esitellään laskelmia apuna käyttäen suunnitelma laajennetun lähettämön materiaalivirtojen hallinnasta.