Because ecologistics marries rather well economics

This is the spring of logistics. The green leaves have invaded studies, brochures and commercial offers of the sector. The subject also thrives on the forums. On 23 and 24 October to the defence, Progilog debate show "supply chain management", of "the"supply chain"green." November 18 and 19 in Lille, the Congress of the French Association for logistics (Aslog) theme will be "the logistics challenge of sustainable and ethical growth." Cabinet Diagma for example launched, as all its competitors, a sustainable development offer summarized in a formula: "More services, more cash, more than oxygen."

First, it is eco-regulatory pressure which feed these young shoots. This pressure has only just begun and there is no point in playing the ostrich policy. Thus, the Grenelle II project which will come into discussion in Parliament plans to expand the undertakings with more than 500 employees the obligation to produce an environmental report. It also provided from 2011 for carriers a mandatory display of CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the conclusions of the Grenelle environment called a label attributed to the carriers on the basis of their emissions. "The proliferation of environmental regulations is growing manufacturers and providers to reconfigure their chains", underlines Fabien Delahaye at Valtech Axelboss.

At the same time, the crisis does not shade the Green logistics. On the contrary, it is perhaps his best potting soil. Because eco-logistics marries rather well economics. "There are chances that a"supply chain"optimized to the point of view of its environmental impact is also from the economic angle," points out Frédéric Hendrick, President of the Aslog. "There are a lot of points of meeting between a sustainable development strategy and a strategy of"supply chain"." "Both help create value, to provide a competitive differentiation, to better meet the needs of consumers, adds Jean-Marie Picard Cabinet CPV associates. For the former Logistics Director World crossroads, when working to reduce emissions of CO2 by flooding the filling of the trucks, by hunting to transport empty, in order means several jukeboxes, choosing less emitting modes of CO2, "acheived de facto of the economies in the logistics chain." "The crisis brings the two approaches. The only point of divergence of cyclical concerns stocks: too many stock absorbs financial, critical supplies at this time, not enough stock multiplies the transportation requirements and thus CO2 emissions. Should therefore include "just stock."

But, in General, the crisis is an opportunity to rethink and reshape the logistical schemes. This trend towards the "reingeniering" of the "supply chains" is true for example with the acceleration of the recruitment of logistic engineers, observed since 2008 by the AFT-Iftim specialized training organization.

A "collaborative work".

A review of a string can be profound. A distribution network, for example, consists in General for seven to ten years and remains a compromise between the transport costs and the number and the nature of the warehouses (large, centralized and distant or small and close) and plants (specialized products and distributing over a wider area or more flexible and close), explains Pierre Fournet, at Diagma. "Changes in configuration made a year and a half have rather questioned the previous wave of warehouses and factories specialized."

Reconfiguration therefore cannot remain superficial. "A"supply chain"verte must be analyzed as a whole, since the design of products up to their recycling", adds Olivier Dubouis, another specialist Diagma. Transport is the easiest to grasp quickly by offering alternative modes of transport when the rate of service (delivery period) is not too result. But reducing the air for the maritime, for example, implies to reorganize all the inventory management process. A "supply chain" green can go up to challenge relocations and the "sourcing". "Many relocations conducted in China have been influenced by the industrial and financial directions", said Olivier Dubouis, for that, "today, companies realize the logistical impact of these relocations (customs, timelines, reliability...)." and their overall financial impact. Hence some relocations that have been observed in the textile. As the Zara model showed that a "supply chain" based on productions in Spain remained competitive while being more reactive.

Delivery flat of a "supply chain" leads at the same time fine analysis of the "sourcing" depending on the products, their volumes and prices, for example in textile by segmenting purchases: in China for large quantities, in the Maghreb to the réassorts of the season and proximity to keep a hyperresponsiveness.

Today, a large development looms in the background of the "supply chains" redesigned, "collaboration". "In the heart of a green approach to SC", believes Jean-Michel Rothier, President of the Club Demeter environment (of the "supply chain managers" for manufacturers, distributors and carriers), "it will encompass the entire string in collaborative work."

Pierre Fournet, confirms that "the great trend of the future, even if many technological barriers must fall, will be the collaborative mode among industrial, shippers and service providers for grouping resources of warehouses and trucks in a pooled management of supply". The "supply chain" verte is no longer a dream of truancy logistics. It is rooted in reality.