What is a milk run?
Milk run is a logistics method where suppliers deliver goods to a production site or distribution centre on a regular and scheduled basis, usually in a single vehicle following a fixed route. Instead of each product being shipped separately, multiple shipments are bundled into one efficient route, reducing transport costs and emissions. The concept originated in the automotive industry, where collecting components in a "milk run" was likened to delivering milk to your home.
When performing a milkrun, materials are collected and delivered in a structured manner, making production processes smoother and inventory levels better managed. This ensures a more streamlined supply chain and contributes to a more efficient and sustainable logistics operation.
Exploring the application of Milk Run in Material Handling
In modern manufacturing facilities that embrace the Lean concept, the Milk Run method has become commonplace. The Lean concept is all about optimising all aspects of production, including material handling and transport. With the Milk Run method, materials and supplies are regularly delivered to different assembly areas or parts of the facility that need to be restocked. This prevents overstocking and reduces the need for manual requests for additional materials.
This approach keeps production processes running on the shop floor, significantly reducing downtime. This is why the Milk Run method is often used to improve supply chain efficiency.
In this approach, operators and material handlers follow established delivery routes through the facility. These routes typically serve parts of the plant that require constant supplies, usually along the production lines. The timing of these deliveries is optimised during the shift to ensure a continuous assembly process according to production schedules.
The operator picks up material from a central warehouse and then follows the route to deliver the material to different assembly points. These deliveries are most effective and efficient when carried out via a tugger train, where several carts are transported behind a tugger.
Tugger carts when implementing milkrun
When setting up a milkrun within your company, using a tugger train is the most common. In fact, using a forklift to follow these routes is very dangerous and inefficient. Tugger carts are more versatile, support different cart configurations and are designed to navigate through aisles and paths that forklifts have difficulty with. This makes them not only safer, but also more effective for implementing the Milk Run method.
Moreover, when implementing a milk run in your company, tugger carts can play an important role in optimising logistics and minimising downtime. They provide a streamlined and efficient way to deliver materials and supplies regularly to different assembly areas or parts of the facility that need to be restocked. This contributes to smooth-running production and improved overall efficiency within the facility. The trolleys can be easily pulled by means of an electric tug.
Benefits of milkrun in your material handling
By implementing the innovative milkrun concept, companies can realise significant efficiency improvements.
- Optimisation of internal transport
In large facilities, transporting materials can be a logistics nightmare. By implementing a Milkrun, deliveries can be streamlined, reducing the number of transport movements and improving transport efficiency.
- Reducing stock levels
Using a Milkrun can lead to more just-in-time inventory management, optimising stock levels and minimising surpluses. This results in cost savings and a higher inventory turnover rate.
- Increased flexibility
Regular Milkrun deliveries allow warehouses and production halls to react more flexibly to changes in demand or production planning. This enables faster response to customer needs and market trends.
Do you have questions?
Following the Lean method
To make the most of the Milk Run system, it is crucial to integrate it into a broader Lean process. A one-off delivery is not enough to guarantee success; it often takes years of experimentation and fine-tuning before the method is really applied efficiently. However, when you know how to apply the concept properly and closely follow the principles of Lean Manufacturing, the benefits can be significant.
Moreover, our Modular Multitube concept allows customers to create transport trolleys that are not only suitable for different materials you want to transport in a Milk Run, but can also be adapted to changing needs at any time. This makes the system flexible and future-proof, allowing companies to react quickly to changes in production processes and achieve even greater efficiency.
Milkrun as a holistic solution
Milkrun is much more than just a logistics term; it represents a fundamental shift in the way we look at transport and distribution. By combining efficiency, cost savings and sustainability, Milkrun offers a holistic solution to the challenges faced by modern logistics operations. With its wide applicability and tangible benefits, Milkrun will undoubtedly remain an integral part of the logistics strategies of the future.
If you are ready to get started with tugger carts, feel free to contact us at sales@multitube.com. We'd love to help you out!