Forward and return logistic processes are an important part of supply chain management. Both involve the movement of products and services from one place to another in the supply chain. They all require some transportation to achieve the intended purpose (Tighazoui et al., 2019). Despite having some similarities, forward and reverse logistics are different. Reverse logistics involve the movement of products from customers to manufacturers, while forward logistics involve moving goods from manufacturers to consumers. In reverse logistics, the process involves returns, repairs, repackaging for return to the market or disposal (Tighazoui et al., 2019). The consumer’s responsibility is to ensure that the product gets back to the manufacturer. On the other hand, forward logistics involves receiving an order, manufacturing, packaging the product, dispatching, and delivering. The producer’s mandate is to ensure that the product gets to the intended consumers.
Transportation and logistics are an integral part of the product distribution system. In reverse logistics, transportation involves the physical delivery of goods from consumers to manufacturers for repairs (Drljača, 2019). A customer can choose the most appropriate means of transport to ensure that the product reaches its destination safely and within the set timeline. For example, air transport is usually chosen when delivery is supposed to be fast, whereas trucking is used when the products are heavy. On the other hand, logistics functions involve processing the product, handling, transportation, packaging, and monitoring (Drljača, 2019). The activities carried out by a logistic company are to make sure that the product gets to the destination within the set time. In reverse logistics, customers’ operations are carried out to move the product to the manufacturer. As a result, transportation is a part of logistics and ensures that goods are moved effectively.
References
Drljača, M. (2019). Reversible Supply Chain in the function of competitiveness.Production Engineering Archives, 22.
Tighazoui, A., Turki, S., Sauvey, C., & Sauer, N. (2019). Optimal design of a manufacturing-remanufacturing-transport system within a reverse logistics chain. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 101(5), 1773-1791.