The logistics function, by virtue of its role and structure, must allow the company to progress both from an operational point of view and from the point of view of its contribution to strategy. Not all companies have yet integrated everything related to Supply Chain management into a logistics function. In addition to this, a need appears with a double component, operational to manage the logistics process, and strategic for taking logistics into account in overall performance and for the design of logistics configurations.

It is a function with very specific trades but a transversal function through all the interactions that it has to perform. The various trades in the logistics chain have been defined by AFNOR.

The debate is still open to know at what level we should centralize the logistics function. In practice, it suffices to put the logistics function where the unit is located vis-à-vis customers, suppliers, flow. We can also see that when the logistics process is fully integrated by the various players in the company, we no longer ask ourselves the question because everyone "does" and participates in the logistics process.

The logistics manager of a production site will be responsible for:

• Client service
• The planning department
• The supply department
• The transport and handling service
• The information systems manager

The logistics director of a group will take care of:

• Of an operational part: consolidation of volumes, workload plans, allocation of products to sites, management of common stocks.
• A methodological part: definition of operating standards, audit of working methods, training, implementation of common tools, coordination with central commercial, industrial, technical, purchasing functions
• On the one hand, promoting synergies: management of common logistics centers, common systems, etc. He will have a range of assessment, pooling and simulation tools to help him in his decisions.