GIS Mapping for Supply Chain Management

GIS is a superb technology to apply for supply chain management. Supply Chain Management(SCM) is the process of proper planning for materials management, information and financial flow in a network consisting of manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and customers. It helps to reduce the costs, increasing the business and improving the customer service.

GIS application is used as a tool to map manufacturing products, processing units, supplier locations, distribution centers, and routing of vehicles etc. Improving supply chains for better flow of logistics becomes a challenging part of a trade. With GIS technology, hundreds of constraints for a geographically distributed supply chain can be collected and analyzed; better contingency plans can be developed; forecast and balance of supply and demand; and risk management can be done.

By managing both processes and resources, supply chain management (SCM) professionals can integrate GIS information, to find:

• Potential impact of product location
• Transportation delays at distribution hubs
• Geopolitical turmoil on transit routes
• Availability and arrival time of materials
• Projected requirements of customers.