Logistik

Logistik is the discipline that plans, implements, and controls the efficient and effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and related information from origin to consumption to meet customer requirements. It covers the end-to-end processes that move products from suppliers to customers, including inbound and outbound transportation, warehousing, inventory management, packaging, and order fulfillment, as well as the information flows that support these activities.

Key activities include transportation management, network design and optimization, warehousing and material handling, inventory control, demand forecasting, procurement, production planning, packaging, and reverse logistics for returns and recycling. Logistics also involves customs clearance, regulatory compliance, and risk management across global supply chains.

While logistics is a core element of supply chain management, it is sometimes distinguished as the planning and execution of physical flows within and across organizations, whereas supply chain management emphasizes broader coordination among suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. The term is widely used in industry, retail, e-commerce, military, and humanitarian contexts; modern arrangements often involve third-party logistics (3PL) providers or fourth-party logistics (4PL) arrangements.

Digital technologies such as transport management systems (TMS), warehouse management systems (WMS), enterprise resource planning (ERP), radio-frequency identification (RFID), GPS and other IoT sensors, and advanced analytics underpin modern logistics. Common performance indicators include on-time delivery, fill rate, order accuracy, transportation and warehousing cost per unit, total cost of ownership, and inventory turnover.