Principles of the new logistics

1. Replacement of the pallet truck + large container mode with a shopstock/small box model: setting up modular JIT shopstocks as close as possible to the line.
   
   
2. Supplying the line by small trains making frequent deliveries.

Main advantages of hand-portable containers in place of large containers: improved logistics productivity. Expensive-to-run lift trucks are replaced by small versatile trains circulating between shopstocks and the line sides. Small container flows are set up to shopstocks with LeanTek-type line side racks providing better rotation of circulating assets.

The shopstock (stock supply close to workstation) possibly including kit preparation.
In some lean factories, the traditional shopstock has been brought to the immediate vicinity of the line side (generally a few metres) and modified in the preparation zone: "lean trains" are eliminated by line-shopstock proximity. This allows the use of "shooters" and hand-pushed trolleys for very tight JIT and total elimination of vehicle costs.
Before this practice can be introduced lean manufacturing and JIT tools must be mastered.