Outreach Event 2015: Tin food drive

Over the course of the first and second semester, Second Avenue Campus collected cans of non perishable food in aid to combat hunger and to feed the less fortunate as part of its social responsibility drive. The cans were delivered to Sinethemba Children's Care Centre.

Video: Mecalux Case Study: Megafin Cold Storage Warehouse System

Some insight into how a cold storage warehouse operates.

Event 2: Guest speaker: Tanya Lilley

Ms. Tanya Lilley (to the right of the banner) and the Logistics society and department

On 26 August 2015 Tanya Lilley, Personnal Officer from Head Hunters graced students with her presentation. The  topic was on Job Hunting 101 and was presented in the morning at y008. All those who attended will now be mindful to develop themselves in a way such that employers will want them, be able to create better CVs and sell themselves better in interviews. Thank you, to Ms. Lilley and all attendees for making this society's event yet another success.

Ms. Tanya Lilley's LinkedIn site can be found here.

Poster for the event

Semester 2 - Event 1: Guest speaker: Trevor Gascoyne

Mr. Gascoyne mid-presentation

On 19 August during lunch time, the Logistics Society held the first of it's guest speaker events that took place over 3 consecutive Wednesdays. 

Mr. Trevor Gascoyne, a 'customer facing supply chain manager from Nestle took time to present his masterfully insightful and detailed take on 'Supply Chain Management in Action" to an auditorium of Logistics and Stores students. 

He was very articulate and varied between Supply Chain theory and practical explanations of both Nestle as well as the industry in general. He engaged with his audience effectively, offering chocolates from Nestle to students were able to answer his questions.

Mr Gascoyne's Linkedin profile can be viewed here.

Handing over the gift

Posing with  the Logistics dept. and Society vice 

Poster for the event

Photograph: Leadership breakfast with the Vice-chancellor

Vice-chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz (left) sharing a laugh with 2015 Logistics Society chairman, Angelo Kapank (right) at today's leadership breakfast.

AGV for Warehouses

This video shows new technology of an AGV (Automated Guidance Vehicle) that NMMU had a part in creating. It's application is navigation, positioning and docking in warehouses.

Logistics Management Department Staff Write A Textbook

Left to right: Mr.Gavin Cook, Ms. Jean Howell, Prof. Gideon Horn

During 2014, Oxford University Press approached Prof Gideon Horn to write a textbook.
Together with Mr Gavin Cook and Ms Jean Howell, as well as co-authors from Tshwane University, Unisa and Stellenbosh University, they co-authored the textbook, “Supply Chain Management. A Logistics Approach.”

Prof Horn as convener author wrote 3 chapters. Chapter 1: Introduction to the concepts ‘Supply Chain Management’ and ‘Logistics’; Chapter 5: Inventory Management and Chapter 13: Supply Chain Management in the Public Sector. He was also responsible for proofreading and ensuring the flow of the textbook.

Mr Cook and Ms Howell each contributed 1 chapter respectively. Mr Cook wrote Chapter 7: Operations Management and Ms Howell wrote Chapter 6: Introduction to Warehouse Management.

The textbook provides practical applications for readers. It is written for 2nd year university students. There are not many locally written textbooks on the topic. The book has been written with South African application in mind and contains many case studies referring to various South African scenarios.
Excerpt from NMMU Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences Issue 1: Graduation 2015

Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences Graduation 2015: Ms Jean Howell (MTech Logistics)

Our very own Ms Jean Howell from the Logistics Department graduated with her masters degree (MTech Logistics) on 17 April 2015.

Ms Jean Howell on the furthest right

Q & A with  Ms Jean Howell:

What was the topic of your research?

“Key factors required by purchasing and supply departments
in the automotive manufacturing industry”.

Why did you decide on this topic inparticular?

I chose this topic as I was employed by Delta Motor
Corporation (General Motors SA) as a production buyer
for eight years in their Purchasing Department. I was
responsible for purchasing production requirements for
the motor vehicles. Due to my experience obtained in
the automotive manufacturing industry, I found that the
key factors required by world-class purchasing and supply
departments were not clearly defined or implemented
and this became of particular interest to me.

When did you start your post graduatestudies?

Although I did the majority of my research studies in 2014, I
commenced with some of the research in 2013.
How did you go about your research?
As the study mainly concentrated on the operational
aspects of firms in the automotive manufacturing industry,
questionnaires were sent to purchasing and supply
specialists of specifically identified firms.

What advice would you give students whowant to follow the masters path?

Choose a topic that is related to your job position/experience
if you are a part-time student as your working experience will
identify gaps on which your research can focus. The successful
completion of a masters requires discipline and dedication
but can be achieved if a student is committed to the study.
Excerpt from NMMU Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences Issue 1: Graduation 2015

Event 3: Tin Food Drive

The Logistics Society committee is holding a social responsibility drive to collect tinned food to be donated to a charitable organisation. As a member of the Logistics Society, please donate at least one tin of food at room 248 (2nd floor) or 128 (1st floor) 2nd Avenue Campus. It can be any kind of food. This drive will last for just another 5 days including today and thus ends at the end of the working week on Friday, 28 May 2015.

Event 2: The Operation of Proper Supply Chain Coordination

Miss Chetha Doolabh at the start of her presentation

Thank you very much to Ms. Chetha Doolabh, Supply Chain Coordinator from Lumotech for taking time out of her very busy work schedule yesterday (Wednesday 20 May 2015). Her presentation on the subject of her job and the operations of proper supply chain coordination was very informative and relevant to the logistics, purchasing and warehousing. It provided a good practical perspective to the theory studied in university. 

Logistics Society website (blog) introductory post

Welcome to the official blog of the NMMU Logistics Society! This blog will be maintained by the Media Portfolio and will update on at least a weekly basis. A monthly poll will also be operated. Information sponsored by this blog is most relevant to NMMU Second Avenue logistics/ purchasing/ warehousing students and lecturers at this higher education institution. The following topic-related information that will be shared includes:

• Society updates (news, events, drives, messages)
• News from the department
• Supply chain management industry news
• Department member biographies (Logistics and others)
• Bursaries and job opportunities
• NMMU Second Avenue Campus news
• Motivational and encouraging posts

You are encouraged to be a member of the society and follow the media as it will enrich your academic journey (and you can put the membership on your CV). It also helps the Logistics Society to gain as many members as possible in terms of funding and reputation.
Follow the rest of the Logistics Society mediums: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep in mind that these sites, like this blog and the media portfolio have just been created, so they are still in development and have yet to be populated.

Please send any Logistics Society related questions, pictures (as a member you count for this. Students will be featured in the media occasionally) and other related content to media.logistics@gmail.com