Postponement
Postponement is referred to as a long-term strategy to optimize Supply Chains by postponing product-specific value-added activities with respect to product shaping, as well as geographically dispersing inventory resources. The goal is to reduce forecast time to make better use of the information situation.
Brief description
At each stage of the value-added chain, the commodity gains incremental value through production activities or through the increase in value subtracted through logistical results. Along with the increase in value, however, also goes the ongoing incremental cost to the producer through warehouse maintenance risks or capital tie-up costs. These risks are attempted to be minimized by so-called postponement strategies. This involves delaying decisions until some information is received. Goods, but also streams of goods, are then left as long as possible in a neutral state, unspecified according to the customer.
Postponement in production
In the technical-production environment (assembly postponement) Postponement means distinguishing a standard product in different variants as late as possible, individual with regard to the customer. The differentiation takes place only after the order is received. Up to this point, standard construction parts or modules are prepared on the basis of sales forecasts, anonymous in terms of the customer (push principle). After the order is received, parts individually prepared for the customer are disassembled (pull principle). The customer disconnect point is the moment of transition from customer-independent production to customer-order-dependent production.
Postponement in logistics
Postponement w logistyce (geographic postponement) dotyczy głównie działań dystrybucyjno-logistycznych. Tutaj gotowe do zbycia, zróżnicowane produkty powinny być trzymane razem tak długo jak to możliwe pod kątem wykorzystania logistycznych efektów podziałek. Przykładowo, możliwie długo składowane są różne produkty w centralnych magazynach i dopiero po wpłynięciu zlecenia od klienta rozdzielane są do magazynu dystrybucyjnego.
Assembly postponement and geographic postponement can also be used in a mixed form. In this case, the main objective being pursued is to reduce logistics costs by reducing the volume of small-volume storage and transportation activities.