Logistics and distribution management is undergoing significant change with a distinct move towards a more professional approach to planning and organization; hence the need for better-informed and qualified managers. This practical handbook covers all stages of the production process from raw materials through to the final distribution of the finished product; this being the working definition of logistics. It explores the distribution process by treating each of its components as a distinct management operation. The authors address the need to adopt a more global view of the different operations in order to understand how they interrelate and interact. Subjects covered include: concepts of logistics and distribution; customer service; warehousing and storage; transport; information and control systems; trends in logistics and distribution. Written in an accessible style with illustrations, this book is for logistics and distribution managers, warehouse managers, and students taking distribution-related degrees and diplomas or the professional examinations of the Chartered Institute of Transport (CIT) or the Institute of Logistics and Distribution Management (ILDM).