Tools to Manage Reverse Logistics
Tools to Manage Reverse Logistics was a two-year research programme funded by the Department for Transport. It was undertaken by the Cranfield School of Management and Sheffield University with support from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK). It commenced May 2005 and completed in July 2007.
The purpose was to develop a set of diagnostic tools to assist organisations implement effective reverse logistics operations. The project will build on work previously undertaken which estimated that around £5.75billion goods are being returned within UK high street retailing alone. The logistics costs for handling these returned products was estimated to be £500 million a year. For a copy of the final workbook please contact l.wall@cranfield.ac.uk.
The aim of the project was to develop a self-assessment tool-kit for organisations to audit their returns management activities. To meet the needs of government, embedded in the tool-kit was the concept of sustainability and sustainable distribution which addressed the needs of the individual organisation (or supply chain) with those of the environment and society.
Incorporating a ‘what-if’ capability into the tool-kit also allowed organisations to evaluate alternative scenarios that will lead to the identification or assessment of improvement programmes.
The long-term outcomes were reduced costs to industry through more efficient management of product returns and asset management, reduced impact to the environment through less traffic, emissions, congestion, land fill and waste disposal.