The Global Sourcing Challenge for Safe Work - Course Work - Case Study

Internal Code: MAS3248

Global Sourcing Challenge for Safe Work

Case Study: Safework Co. Ltd. is one of the largest distributors (importers) of safety clothing and footwear in the UK. They do not have shops. They sell safety clothing and footwear directly to large institutions such as factories, warehouses, construction companies, and government agencies. They also do not produce clothing or footwear; they purchase products from suppliers from all over the world. They have two warehouses in the UK, one located at Leeds and another one at Milton Keynes. Both warehouses have their own trucks. Customers can order via telephone, online, or fax. The warehouse at Leeds delivers products to customers at the Northern part of UK while the warehouse at Milton Keynes takes care of the Southern part of the UK. Questions:

1. Suggest suitable transportation mode(s) (e.g. air, pipeline, rail, road, sea) for the import of safety clothing and footwear from the suppliers in Malaysia, Vietnam and China to the two UK warehouses. You must explain and justify your suggestions with appropriate arguments.
2. Propose suitable exit points (e.g. ports) from Malaysia, Vietnam and China and import points to UK. Again explain / justify your suggestions and support them with convincing arguments and additional information about the locations / facilities chosen.
3. Produce a simple annotated flowchart / process diagram describing the supply chain required to bring leather footwear from Vietnam to the northern warehouse in Leeds. NB You must cover all stages and should indicate key processes and documentation where required.
4. Evaluate the sustainability of your options showing how it compares to existing legislation and discuss how this could be improved to minimise the environmental impact and conform to United Nations 2030 proposals.