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Today´s business environment is dominated by uncertainty and fast changes which result in the need for companies, in all lines of businesses, to focus on logistics in a greater extent than before. Companies need to attain high resource usage, low level of tied up capital as well as high delivery accuracy. One way to achieve this is with the help of logistics automation. This paper presents the result of a study conducted at different SMEs. Issues the study includes are: to what extent SMEs applies logistics automation; the interest, knowledge and needs for improving the supply chain; problem areas and difficulties for SMEs concerning logistics automation and future industrial needs.

A growing need for flexible supply chains and low cost make logistics more complex and critical for competition. Internal logistics is a crucial function in manufacturing industries but despite its potential as a competitive strategy it has not been in focus when discussing performance and efficiency. The aim of this paper is to show and discuss how manufacturing companies work with, perceive, and develop their internal logistic system. The paper is based on the results from a survey study of Swedish manufacturing companies, intended to give an outlook of the current situation and views. The results show that system performances and information aspects together with a balanced flow and committed staff are the most important success factors for a well functioning internal logistic system. The most important performance criteria are delivery precision and dependability together with customer service and quality degree. Competence and manpower are considered the most critical resources, but desired and ongoing improvement work rarely relate to these areas. Many lack extensive performance measurement systems for logistics, risking sub optimization. Most also lack a vision and strategy with their internal logistic system and many do not have anyone who is strategically responsible for operating and developing it.

The current demographic development puts even greater demands on the healthcare sector which already struggle with scarce resources and constant pressure of cost reductions. This paper aims at through a multiple case study describe how automation of hospital internal logistics can be a tool in improving the efficiency. The results include several potential implementations for patient transports, waste handling and small goods transports. However, organizational issues as lack of ownership and a strategic view render difficulties and needs to be dealt with. The authors conclude that transfer of knowledge and technology used in manufacturing industry would be beneficial. 

Meeting customer demands require manufacturing systems with a high degree of flexibility in the same time as the use of automation is becoming critical for competition. This is challenging, especially for SMEs with their inferior economical and competence conditions. This paper presents a new set up where the Factory-in-a-Box concept has been realized for a small manufacturing company with a profile of craftsmanship and small volumes. The objective of this paper is to discuss the possibility for SMEs to use automation and the Factory-in-a-box-concept to stay competitive and also the Factory-in-a-Box concept as means for realizing a Product-Service System.