The study of green logistics services to manage reverse logistics of TFT-LCD panel industry

Modern economic activities rely on logistics to support the flow of goods, but the logistics activities consume a lot of resources, and cause much pollution. Green logistics is therefore an inevitable trend in the development of the logistics industry and can even minimize the logistic costs. One of the top Taiwan manufacturers of TFT-LCD panels in the world with a market share of 15.2% in large-sized panels would like to adjust its supply chain processes, and attempt to recycle the packaging materials from its customers, The manufacturer intends to change the past process, “resources - products - waste discharge”, into the green supply-chain model, “resources - products - recycling resources,”. It finally subcontracts business-related logistic operations to a fourth-party logistics (4PL) provider, T.H.I. Logistics Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as THI) by taking advantage of this new model. THI utilizes its multinational -corporation team and the efficient collaboration with a number of third-party logistics (3PL) partners to provide one-stop services, integrated forward and reverse logistics services, to transport TFT-LCD panels from Taiwan to any place in the world. The logistics system makes the use of information systems to monitor the location of panels and the inventory of the warehouse; especially in controlling the recycling process of packaging materials. On the other hand, THI helps the manufacturer check and store these packaging materials. Meanwhile, the THI´s information system manages these packaging materials and provides early-warning mechanism of inventory management to assist this manufacturer to develop the production schedule. The recycled packaging materials can be reused in order to reduce the costs of purchasing new ones. THI´s service model not only helps the panel manufacturer restructure its supply chain process, but also can be regarded as a benchmark of green logistic services.