EQUIPAMENTOS MECÂNICOS MULTI-FUNCIONAIS E CANAIS DE DISTRIBUIÇÃO REVERSA: O CASO SUCATRANS MECHANIC MULTIFUNCTIONAL EQUIPMENTS AND REVERSE DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS: THE SUCATRANS CASE

This article shows that the use of operational mechanisms can decrease costs and increase performance in the transport of materials. A bibliographical review concerning reverse logistics and transportation is presented. After that, the specific case of Sucatrans Ltda., a road transportation company located in Minas Gerais, is presented, regarding the reverse flow (reuse) of ferrous materials as secondary raw material for the steel sector. Through the analysis of the load capacity of long vehicles, and of the use of semi-heavy trucks minimizing costs and optimizing revenues, those benefits are quantified. It is concluded that an efficient logistic system is capable of establishing a competitive differentiation between players in the global environment where companies act.