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Transport and Logistic Consultants
Transport and logistics is the process of moving goods from their point of origin to their destination, a field that has been made increasingly complex by the growth of global supply chains. Logistics consulting is closely linked to the field of supply chain management, but focuses more on the freight and transport businesses that make the links in supply chain possible. Road, rail, air and water freight are the main modes of transport, and the management of these as well as the warehouses where goods are stored and distributed make up the field of logistics management.
The main challenges in the transport and logistics management are operational, having to do with the management of freight, route planning, and warehouse operations. Information technology is an integral part of logistics management, from tracking individual shipments to designing and enhancing operations. The vast amount of data collected is also used to optimize pricing, minimize fuel expenditures, and perform inventory planning to optimize freight and warehouse capacity. Data also needs to be collected for compliance purposes, since customs regulations governing international shipping can be complex and demanding. Governments are concerned about evasion of duties and tariffs, terrorism, and fraud, and thus logistic companies gather additional data to pass on to government agencies. Companies often engage consultants to help collect and analyze all the data involved, and make recommendations to optimize the processes as well as plans for implementing them.
Another regulatory and strategic challenge in the logistics industry involves environmental concerns, particularly the energy used in shipping and the carbon impact of fuel consumption. Aside from fuel cost issues, transport companies face pressure from regulators and stakeholders to reduce fuel use and adopt cleaner and more energy-efficient technologies. The high quantities of used and discarded electronics products has also given rise to the concept of reverse logistics, or moving waste towards destinations where it can be reused, recycled, or in the case of toxic materials, disposed safely.
Transport and logistics consultants will typically have a background within either logistics, or working in supply chain management for another industry. They possess highly developed quantitative skills needed to analyze vast amounts of transport data, and the operational knowledge to understand how the results of their analysis can be implemented. IT knowledge is also necessary for most logistics consultants, as they will either be working with complex information technology systems or implementing them. Logistic professionals in consulting roles are also likely to have a good understanding of regulatory and compliance issues. Logistics companies serving a majority of clients in one or two industries may wish to engage consultants with experience in that industry, so as to structure operations according to client needs.
MBA & Company has worked with logistics companies across the globe, on projects including change management, market entry, risk management, and more. Our global network of consultants make up a deep and broad pool of transport and logistics expertise across all industry areas, along with top-level business education. Transport and logistics companies looking to bring in consultants should sign up to reap the benefits of cost-efficient, flexible expert engagements. Logistics professionals looking to consult on short-term projects will also benefit from signing up, and gaining access to our exclusive database of projects.
