production manager 3-2010 - PSI Metals

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Event: PSI Logistics gets involved in Hamburg school project
Successful packaging
PSI Logistics GmbH is supporting
a school project as part of the "Science
and technology" initiative. 20 students
received an insight into the benefits of
logistic software support and worked
out an actual scenario on their own to
optimise the despatch of certain pack-
ages.
At the start of July, around 20 senior-
grade students from Hamburg-Rahlstedt
College in Germany presented
their proposals on the subject of
packing optimisation at the Hamburg
headquarters of PSI Logistics. This
project resulted from the commitment
of PSI Logistics to work in partnership
with schools – offering advice relating
to personnel, financial and professional
matters as part of the "Science and
Technology" initiative. The aim of
the initiative is to get up-and-coming
scientists and engineers in Hamburg's
senior classes interested in the subjects
of Chemistry, Information Technology,
Mathematics and Physics – and in
a subsequent course in Engineering.
"Putting technology into practice
and exploring real-life applications
make science classes more attractive,"
explains Martin Toepfer, director of
product development, technology and
procedures at PSI Logistics and the
manager of this project on the part of the
company. "That is why we took part in
the initiative, set the task about packing
optimisation together with the teachers
and passed it onto the students."
The event was a tremendous success.
Together with Wolfgang Albrecht,
managing director of PSI Logistics, the
school group visited a logistics centre
3/2010 ∙ production manager
run by Kühne & Nagel for the aircraft
manufacturer Airbus. The group found
out about the potential savings that can
be achieved by making optimal use of
transport capacities: less waste in terms
of space, reduced transport volumes,
less environmental impact and lower
transport costs. The task for the students
was then to work out the best possible
solution for preparing defined material
parts for despatch in a carton.
In six groups, the students
pursued their goal for half a year
as part of Maths and Physics
lessons (general problems) and
Information Technology (drawing up
algorithms and linking databases). The
solutions that emerged were professionally
presented by the students using realistic
examples. A panel made up of two
teachers, Martin Toepfer and Wolfgang
Albrecht, awarded the most outstanding
solution with a prize of theatre vouchers
worth 200 euro. "Overall, we were
pproduction manager
The students proudly presented their results to the panel of experts. Source: PSI Logistics
pleasantly surprised by the good quality
of the results," summarises project
manager Toepfer. "The project was
well received on all sides. The teachers
were in favour of further collaboration,
covering new areas in terms of content.
The reactions of the students showed
that we were able to bring them closer to
the subject of technology and put across
logistical problems to them. A successful
cooperation project."
► Information
Contact: Anja Malzer,
Head of Marketing,
PSI Logistics GmbH, Hamburg, Germany
Telephone: +49 40 696958-15
Fax: +49 40 696958-90
Email: a.malzer@psilogistics.com
Internet: www.psilogistics.com