Distribution Optimisation

Distribution Optimisation is all about utilising transport more cost effectively. Depending on what the situation is, this could entail such issues as;

• Vehicle and labour utilisation
• Selection of routes and volumes
• Consolidation and/or staging
• Scheduling which products go when and in what combinations

Primarius offers a number of different technologies and methodologies to effectively manage up-stream and down-stream distribution. The choice of delivery is dependent on many factors including the variability of demand or the complexity of the business’ requirements

Primarius group its technology/methodologies into three broad categories;

• Network Optimisation
• Simulation
• Route Optimisation

Network Optimisation (P-SCOPE)

Primarius has developed a very powerful network optimiser called P-SCOPE “Primarius - Supply Chain OPtimisation Engine”. This technology enables organisations to look across their entire supply chain to optimise sourcing, manufacturing, storage, transport and service deliver based on real world constraints and costs. Within the distribution Optimisation context, the main use of this technology is to determine the network structure and the selection of arcs/modes used to move goods within the supply chain. For more information click here: Supply Chain Optimisation - Network Design

Example of Major and Minor Arcs for Network Optimisation Project

Example of visualisation of Network Optimisation Project - Supply Chain Designer

Simulation

Primarius have experience in developing simulation models which allow organisation to develop strategies within systems.

Nearly every system can be viewed as a combination of the following structures;

• Activity (when, how much, where)
• Resources (what, how much, availability)
• Productivities (task completion times)
• Costs (fixed, variable and conditional)

Using these structures distribution networks can be modelled and costs, service deliver and bottlenecks can be analysed and business strategies developed to best suit the organisation. Simulation allows the random nature of business to be incorporated and the effective, and safe, testing of alternatives. Systems can be used to test rules against changing business conditions to determine not only the best way to deliver now, but how to react to changes or issues within your supply chain.

The simulation allows the user to determine how well the system handles variation given the parameter levels. It also looks at utilisation levels to allow bottlenecks in processes or resources to be identified and addressed.

Example of Vehicle-Dock Utilisation project

Example of Warehouse Simulation Project

Route Planning

Primarius have extensive experience in modelling, implementing and developing route planning software. Primarius utilises both sophisticated mathematical techniques such as Genetic Algorithms to develop systems for clients, as well utilising commercially available software.

Primarius has utilised two of the leading systems available Route Planner (Infor) and ArcLogistics (ESRI). Primarius has delivered modelling for extremely large 3rd Party transport tenders, as well as implementation of systems into major multinational retailers and logistics companies

Primarius comes from a background of customised optimisation, and as well as developing solutions for its customers, it has also developed its own freight consolidation system which optimises in-bound freight based on P-OMS order release schedules and detailed freight costs. This system builds up shipments from multiple sources to optimise transport costs while insuring service level delivery.

Example of Route visualisation from RoutePro

Example Resource Scheduler from RoutePro