Operadores logisticos

ROLE OF 3PL OPERATORS IN IMPROVEMENT IN COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF COMPANIES WITH THE EXAMPLE OF IKEA HANIM POLSKA
Joanna Nowakowska – Grunt, Phd , jng@zim.pcz.pl Częstochowa University of Technology, Management Faculty Abstract: Recent years have seen a growing importance of third-part logistics (3PL). The reasons for this include increased the role of logistics outsourcing. Most of companiesbegins cooperation with logistics services provider. In this paper presents relations between Ikea Hanim Polska and FM Logistics It is difficult to find a uniform, concise definition of logistics operator. The subject literature, as well as economic practice indicate wide range and divergence of services which might be the matter of logistics operator activities. Legal status, size and other factorswhich characterize companies also differs in businesses which in current circumstances take up responsibility for particular logistics activities, termed ‘logistics operators’. The companies which operate in Polish market offer a variety of transport-forwarding-logistics services, such as: • logistics companies (logistics operators) • transport companies • transport and forwarding companies •personal transport companies, • courier companies, • storage companies, • logistics consulting companies, • mail operators, • railway operators, • logistics centres, • marine and inland ports, These companies are of varied potential, with different level of development of the transport and warehouse infrastructure, different experience and level of services. However, any company which providestransport, warehousing, inventory management or packing services is generally recognised as logistics operator. The question arises of where the border between transport, forwarding and logistics companies is. Transport and forwarding companies provide services which are only a part of a complex supply chain. They might be both direct service provider for companies or subcontractor for the logisticsoperator, who integrates individual elements throughout the supply chain. Logistics operator is an entity which organizes, activates and supervises flow of goods and information, while working to order for an entity for existence of whom a logistics stream is necessary. The scope of duties and areas of operator activities depend on the decision of the ordering party. Relationships between orderingcompany and logistics operator are becoming so advanced that the concepts of superiority and duty fade away, while cooperation or partnership appears1. The customers expect complex logistics services in one place, so called one-stop shopping
1 Grabara J., Jahnatek L., "Poprawa konkurencyjności przedsiębiorstwa dzięki nowoczesnym rozwiązaniom logistyki odwrotnej", Zarządzanie w przedsiębiorstwie ,cz.2, Wyd. Politechniki Częstochowskiej, Częstochowa 2007

services, through which they reach optimum in terms of costs, time and comfort. Such cooperation often requires to work out mutual trust between parties, creation of joint IT systems or even creation of interorganizational teams. Most important arguments which justify rationality of subcontracting in particular parts of logisticsprocesses to logistics operators include: lack of specialized staff, equipment and attitude to invest capital in such equipment, better use of resources (material, human, financial and informational resources) more efficient flow in logistics streams executed by dedicated companies, synergy of activities, opportunity for the ordering party to focus on their fundamental activities.2 The idea of logisticsoperators’ existence in the market is closely related to outsourcing strategies, lean production or lean management. The contracting should be clearly highlighted, where ordering party takes full control over the processes, i.e. clearly defines to the outsourcer how the order should be executed (in detail), as opposed to the contract, where clients focus on determination of the final form of the...