Too much waste - the continuing story of UK construction

According to WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) typically 10 to 15% (and sometimes up to 45%) of the materials delivered to site for construction projects are either unused or end up as waste.  There are many reasons for this, including bad planning and poor site control, but much of the problem can be attributed to the lack of good logistics practices in the construction sector.

Developments in retail and manufacturing over the last 20 years or so have shown how improvements can be made to the business processes through the good application of logistics practices.  Improvements can be made in productivity and customer service as well as offering benefits for the environment.  With a few notable exceptions the construction industry has so far failed to adopt good logistics and supply chain practices and has therefore failed to reap the benefits.

Bit by bit this is changing and The Logsitics Business has been at the forefront of developments in this field.  For example, our Zone Manager software has been widely adopted as the leading method for management of vehicle flow and resources on construction sites and the system has now been used on just about every type of major construction project in the UK.  More recently, with the assistance of The Logsitics Business and technical services provider, Jacobs, WRAP has developed a Good Practice Guide to the development of site Materials Logistics Plans.