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changes refers mainly to these sectors of industry in which the share of logistics
costs in the volume of market turnover is high. In the case of the engineering industry
it is 7.5%, in consumer goods production and in the media – 6.3%,
whereas it is relatively small in pharmaceutical industry – 2.5% 26 .
The strategies implemented by companies are to prevent the growing complexity
and increase of logistics costs. Segmentation of supply chains by differentiating
them depending on customer requirements, defining service levels
and acceptable cost level are certainly significant activities in this respect. Such
differentiation of logistics is currently practiced by ca 50% of European companies.
Thanks to individualization of supply chains they can, on average, reduce
logistics costs to 15%, and flow times even by 22% 27 .
Further, not fully used potential of savings is connected with optimization of
cooperation activities between suppliers and customers through effective use of
information technologies. Thanks to this, every fourth company improved timeliness
of supplies from 91.5% to 95% in recent years, and the share of error-free
supplies (that is completeness) – from 97 to 98.5%.
Optimization of the entire value creation chain and making the partners
fully participate in the process of enhancing “end to end” competences is a key
issue. In connection with the growing scope of outsourcing, companies expect
that suppliers will be improving and changing the scope of their competences
and quality standards. Only the companies that in the environment of diversified
offers of customer service give the highest priority to customer preferences
will be able to implement the necessary diversification of supply chains. Flexibility
and integration with customers and suppliers are an effective solution in optimization
of supply chains. It leads, however, to a qualitatively new situation,
when growing customer requirements in many cases of organizing such chains
will increase the share of the processes that create new value, which in the long
run will cause an increase in logistics costs (see Fig. 71 and Fig. 72)
The previously presented production relocation to the countries of our region
(Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary) also cause significant changes
in logistics costs. Some authors are of the opinion that they can even double in
the case of auto parts and subassemblies production 28 . The problem of quality
and productivity caused by insufficient qualifications of the workforce appears
in particular at the initial stage of production. Further problems are caused by
very strong links with the parent company, when all the production orders are
coordinated and reviewed by the head office. To provide for the safety of supplies,
the parent company maintains bigger buffer stock, which, together with
higher transport costs and longer flow times, “eat up” the benefits of low labour
26 Ibidem.
27 Ibidem.
28 Cf.: A. Karius, Unterschaetzte Logistikkosten [W;] Produktion. Die Wirtschaftszeitung fuer die deutsche
Industrie. 1 September 2005, No. 35.
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