Uiwang Korea: Operational efficiency at an inland container depot

• Main Authors: LOW, Joyce M. W., LEE, Byung Kwon
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2024
• Subjects: Operations strategy; Operational effectiveness; process management; Inventory management; Operations and Supply Chain Management
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/cases_coll_all/489; https://cmp.smu.edu.sg/case/6116
• Institution: Singapore Management University

It was March 2024, and Uiwang Inland Container Depot (ICD) in South Korea was bustling with activity as cargo trains arrived at the depot, unloading containers filled with goods from around the country. Trucks were lined up at the depot, waiting to transport the containers to their final destinations, while workers hurriedly unloaded and stacked containers, ensuring efficient movement of goods through the bustling ICD. Sarah Kim was a seasoned logistics expert with a passion for optimising container logistics operations. Having worked in the logistics industry for over a decade, Sarah had a deep understanding of the complexities involved in managing an ICD in January 2024, she had started working at Terminal 2 of Uiwang ICD, in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Her expertise laid in designing innovative data analytics solutions to enhance operational efficiency and resource utilisation in logistics hubs. But could she use existing information and data to build efficient solutions at the Uiwang ICD? This case allows students to understand data analytics strategies in operations management for workflow processes and metrics management. The focus is on operational performance and trade-offs in interlocking systems. Through data analytics, students are expected to propose the possible combinations of resources to be deployed in an ICD to maximise its productivity.