Term

Acronym

Definition

Backhaul

Generally a backhaul is any return load taken after the delivery has been made. An example of this would be the collection of supplier loads from a supplier's premises by a retailer for delivery into the retailer’s own RDC.
 

Box Trailer

Semi trailer constructed on a chassis with hard sides and reef (Best practise Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP)) internally fitted with load restricting runners and bars. Unloaded and loaded via rear doors (best practice are barn door style).
 

Case Count

The number of units in a case.
 

Case Fill

Primary retail unit as a proportion of the case or container.
 

Case Size

The number of product units in an outer case. Refer also to SKU, Outer Case.
 

Consolidation

The loading of two or more suppliers’ deliveries to a retailer’s RDC on a single vehicle. This aims to improve load utilisation and also improve unloading time at the RDC. See ECR's Consolidated Distribution output
 

Consolidation Centres

CC

Depots that store and/or process stock (see cross docking) into full loads for delivery to retailer RDCs.
 

Cross Dock

A system where products for store orders are not put away into the warehouse racking to be picked later, but they are processed into store orders either by the supplier or on arrival at the RDC. This can entail breaking down the inward delivery into store ready consignments or if the consignments are pallet sized moving the pallets across the docking area for loading onto the store delivery vehicle. This movement of product across
warehouse vehicle docking bays gives the process its name.
 

Curtain-Sider

A vehicle or trailer which has heavy duty fabric 'curtains' with load retaining straps for side (un)loading, instead of a more rigid body chassis for rear (un)loading. When the straps are released, the curtain can be pulled back and a forklift used for easy and efficient (un)loading. Also termed a 'tautliner'.
 

Display Ready Packaging

DRP

Standalone units that are moved into retail floor space, rather than onto a shelf. Examples are promotional shippers and merchandising units, as well as fresh produce mobile tray-racks.
 

Distribution Centre

DC

A warehouse that is the sole stocking point for the distribution system that it services.
 

Dolly

A wheeled base unit that is used to move crates, cases or other transit items through the supply chain. A roll cage is an example of a dolly.
 

Double Decker
 

Double-deck trailers are semi-trailers with either a fixed, hinged or moveable (floating) second floor, which enables them to carry more palletised goods. In general, a double decker can carry 40 pallets as opposed to 26 pallets for a standard trailer.
 

Drop Deck Trailer

A drop-deck trailer is a trailer on which the floor drops down a level once clear of the tractor unit. The most common types of drop-deck trailer are flatbeds and curtain siders.
 

Dry Bulk Trailer

Like a big tanker trailer, but is used for sugar, flour and other dry powder materials.
 

Dusseldorf Pallet

Dimensions 800x600mm
 

Efficient Consumer Response

ECR

An initiative within the food & grocery industry based around retailers and suppliers working together to fulfil consumer wishes, better, faster and at less cost. Most European countries have an ECR initiative, as well as countries such as USA, Australia and South Africa. ECR UK is managed by IGD and actively participates in ECR Europe. Visit ECR UK
 

Enterprise Resource Planning

ERP

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) helps a company to make better use of the business resources, in managing various areas of their business. The areas where ERP can be utilized are finance and accounting, order management and tracking, inventory, customer service and logistics. ERP can also include software application modules for the human resource division of the company.
 

Fifth Party Logistics Company

5PL

A key function of the 5PL is to aggregate the demands of the 3PL into a bulky volume for negotiating more favourable rates with airlines and shipping companies regardless of which generation of logistics solution belongs to all.
 

Flatbed Trailer

A trailer that consists of just a load floor and removable side rails, and a bulkhead in front to protect the tractor in the event of a load shift. Can transport almost anything that can be stacked on and strapped down.
 

Fourth Party Logistics Company

4PL

Will directly provide many of the supply chain operations and be an asset owner. They may have some geographical limitations and thus employ 3PLs for some operations. There will be a key focus on extending the range of services offered covering all aspects of the supply chain including procurement, demand forecasting, inventory management etc.
 

Fronthaul

A fronthaul is a store delivery made by a supplier on behalf of a retailer, following an inbound delivery of goods by the supplier into the retailer's warehouse.
 

Health and Safety

H&S

Occupational health and safety is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment.
 

Key Performance Indicator

KPI

Financial and non-financial indicators for the performance of a company.
 

Lead Logistics Provider

LLP

Will manage a range of 3PLs. They will provide the over-arching systems infrastructure. They will have a global reach. They may or may not own any fixed assets. Concept of best in class. There will be a more advanced value added service offering. Emphasis will be more on strategic partnerships and the sharing of gains. There will be a consulting option. There will be neutrality issues.
 

Lead Time

The time between when new stock is ordered and when it is received and available for use. Lead time varies, depending on the system, speed of deliveries, availability and reliability of transport, and, sometimes, weather.
 

Manufacturers Consolidation Centre

MCC

Depots that store and/or process stock (see cross docking) from manufacturers into full loads for delivery to retailer RDCs.
 

Mechanical Handling Equipment
 

MHE

Equipment used within a warehouse, factory or distribution facility for transporting goods.
 

Merchandising / Merchandised / Merchandisable Unit
 

MU

A method of transferring goods from supplier to store, minimising handling at each stage. Used on fast moving goods such as soft drinks.
 

National Distribution Centre

NDC

This is a large single stockholding point serving both retailer RDCs and other customers either in the UK or in overseas markets.
 

Outer Case

Also known as Traded Unit. The unit in which the SKU is delivered from the manufacturer to the retailer.
 

Regional Distribution centre
 

RDC

A post-production warehouse for finished goods.

Pack

The consumer sales unit e.g. packet of biscuits, bottle of shampoo.
 

Pack Fill

Physical product as a proportion of the primary retail unit packaging.
 

Packaging Waste Export Recovery Notes

PERN

The only legal forms to demonstrate compliance by the producer that the required amount of recovery and recycling has been carried out.
 

Packaging Waste Recovery Notes

PRN

The only legal forms to demonstrate compliance by the producer that the required amount of recovery and recycling has been carried out.
 

Pallet

A flat, open surface (usually constructed of wood) designed to hold and transport merchandise.
 

Pallet (Euro pallet)

Dimensions 800x1200mm. A flat, open surface (usually constructed of wood) designed to hold and transport merchandise.
 

Pallet (Standard British)

Dimensions 1000x1200mm. A flat, open surface (usually constructed of wood) designed to hold and transport merchandise. Often referred to as Blue, CHEP or GKN, but other variants are now common; red, brown etc).
 

Payload

Cargo, goods or produce being delivered or transported; or the net carrying capacity of a trailer, container or aircraft.
 

Primary Consolidation Centre
 

PCC

A facility which allows different suppliers to combine their daily orders to individual retailers' RDCs.
 

Regional Distribution centre
 

RDC

A post-production warehouse for finished goods.
 

Retail Ready Packaging

RRP

A term used to refer to a product that comes ready merchandised and can be put onto the shelf. It also meets other needs such as easy to identify and easy to open. ECR and RRP
 

Rigid

A non-articulated goods vehicle. The vehicle is permanently attached to its load carrying capacity.
 

Roll Cage

The lightweight metal cages on wheels that are a commonly used way of picking and moving store orders through distribution centres to delivery at stores.
 

Route to Market

RTM

The agreed logistics route that a product will take from the point of manufacture to the point of sale. The RTM is used to establish all know transportation costs within the products supply chain.
 

SC Implant

Supply Chain Employee seconded into an external organisation along the Supply Chain to share good business practices and learn efficiencies along the supply chain.
 

Scissor Lift

A type of platform which can usually only move vertically, named due to the use of linked, folding supports in a criss-cross 'X' pattern. Scissor lifts are commonly used on the loading bays of distribution centres to align the loading dock with the back of a vehicle/trailer.
 

Selective Hauling

The sharing of transport resources through selection of backhaul or fronthaul as appropriate, in order to reduce the environmental impact of the overall activity.
 

Semi Trailer (Also known as articulated lorries)

A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported either by a tractor unit, by a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or by the tail of another trailer. A semi-trailer is normally equipped with legs which can be lowered to support it when it is uncoupled. In the UK, semi-trailers on tractor units are referred to as "articulated lorries."
 

Shelf Ready Packaging
 

SRP

Packaging that is fit-for-purpose in-store. Download ECR Europe's guide to SRP here

Shipper

Shipping unit that is fit for purpose in store
 

Shipping Unit

Transport media used to hold and transport cases through the supply chain, e.g. pallet, MU, roll cage, dolly etc.
 

Shipping Unit Fill

Percentage utilisation against the maximum capacity of the shipping unit
 

Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

SME

The E.U currently defines companies with fewer than 50 employees as small and those with fewer than 250 as medium.
 

Stock Keeping Unit

SKU

A uniquely identifiable line within a stores range. One product may have many different variations e.g. 20% extra free. Each of these variations is an individual stock keeping unit. Also called a ‘reference’.
 

Tautliner

A generic (trade) name for curtain-sided trucks and trailers. See curtain-sider.
 

Third Party Logistics Company

3PL

A distribution company that offers transport, warehousing, inventory and information systems management to companies in the supply chain.
 

Tote Box

Returnable purpose made crate which is used as a shipping outer.
 

Trunking

The element of transport between distribution and/or manufacturing centres.
 

Unit of Delivery

UOD

A transit unit used for the distribution of products, usually from a retail warehouse out to store, for example a pallet, cage, dolly or tray.
 

Unit of Measure

UOM

The standard unit of an item used in the stock account and to construct order quantities.
 

Vehicle

Generalised term which may constitute anything from a small van up to a heavy goods vehicle.
 

Vehicle Fill

Percentage utilisation against the maximum capacity of the vehicle.
 

Vehicle Routing and Scheduling

The construction of delivery routes and schedules with the aim to balance total cost with service for given delivery and capacity constraints. This can be done manually but the increasingly complex nature of retail distribution operations means that computerised routing and scheduling is more common.
 

Vendor Pack

Also known as Traded Unit. The unit in which the SKU is delivered from the manufacturer to the retailer.
 

Warehouse Case

Also known as Traded Unit. The unit in which the SKU is delivered from the manufacturer to the retailer.