Efficient Green Logistics in Urban Areas: Milk Run Logistics in the Automotive Industry [chapter]

Toshinori NEMOTO, Werner ROTHENGATTER
2012 Sustainable Transport for Chinese Cities  
In this paper, the potential of Milk Run logistics, a type of consolidation, is analyzed. Milk Run provides a host of possibilities of consolidating freight transport activities and thus using transport capacity efficiently. Milk Run logistics utilizes one vehicle to conduct several pick-ups/deliveries in a round trip, so that the pick-up/delivery points should be located in a limited area which one-day trip could cover at least. Although this area should not necessarily be urban, Milk Run
more » ... highly beneficial in congested urban environments in developed and developing countries. Furthermore it can be linked to the long-distance logistics, by rail for example, in the national and world-wide network of big companies. Examples for three automotive companies are given: Toyota with its logistic concept for the Bangkok region, Webasto, a supplier of hardtops and other car parts, and Audi, a daughter company of Volkswagen. All of them have introduced concepts of green logistics including Milk Runs, which help to reduce CO2, waste material and -last but not least -costs. The paper concludes with indicating high potential of Milk Run logistics to China and its rapidly developing automotive industry.
doi:10.1108/s2044-9941(2012)0000003017 fatcat:27dvzmsgb5azjcftnwrsry5poi