For whom
Works managers, production managers, and those responsible for purchasing and materials planning in small and medium-sized metal fabrication businesses (machining, forming, steelwork) who want to take warehouse management and materials planning into their own hands — typically businesses where the stores are stocked by experience and nobody can say precisely how much capital is sitting on the shelves. No prior knowledge of logistics required.
What you will be able to do afterwards
- explain why holding stock costs real money: tied-up capital, floor space, shrinkage, obsolescence
- distinguish between stock categories: raw materials, work in progress, finished goods, spare parts
- use ABC and XYZ analysis to classify parts by value share and consumption regularity
- categorise replenishment methods: reorder point, consumption-driven and demand-driven, and the basic principle of Kanban
- explain the relationship between safety stock, lead time, and demand fluctuation
- calculate and apply stock turnover rate, stock range, and inventory accuracy
- transfer the basic principles of warehouse organisation and material flow to your own business
How the course works
Eight lessons with 120 minutes of reading time, completable in as many sessions as you wish. After each lesson there are knowledge questions for self-assessment; at the end a final self-test: 20 questions, for self-assessment, repeatable as often as you like. On completion, a certificate of participation is available as a PDF. Access is valid for 90 days from activation, without an account.
What the course is not
There is no software selection and no purchasing recommendation for warehouse management or ERP products, no warehouse layout or materials handling planning, and no substitute for hands-on support during a changeover in your own business.