<ul><li><p>This article was downloaded by: [81.227.190.24]On: 29 March 2014, At: 16:41Publisher: Taylor &amp; FrancisInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK</p><p>International Journal of ProductionResearchPublication details, including instructions for authors andsubscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tprs20</p><p>Facilities planning 4th edition by J.A.Tompkins, J.A. White, Y.A. Bozer andJ.M.A. TanchocoRalph Riedel aa Chemnitz University of Technology , GermanyPublished online: 20 Oct 2011.</p><p>To cite this article: Ralph Riedel (2011) Facilities planning 4th edition by J.A. Tompkins, J.A.White, Y.A. Bozer and J.M.A. Tanchoco, International Journal of Production Research, 49:24,7519-7520, DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2011.563164</p><p>To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2011.563164</p><p>PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE</p><p>Taylor &amp; Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (theContent) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor &amp; Francis,our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as tothe accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor &amp; Francis. The accuracy of the Contentshould not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sourcesof information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever orhowsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arisingout of the use of the Content.</p><p>This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Anysubstantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &amp;Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions</p></li><li><p>International Journal of Production ResearchVol. 49, No. 24, 15 December 2011, 75197520</p><p>Facilities planning 4th edition by J.A. Tompkins, J.A. White, Y.A. Bozer andJ.M.A. Tanchoco, John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd, UK, 2010 (hardcover), pg x &amp; 854, 47.99and Euro 55.20, ISBN 978 0 470 44404 7.</p><p>As stated in their preface the authors of this book are committed to continue thecreativity, rigor, and design aspects of facilities planning while rejecting cookbook andchecklist approaches. As facilities, especially aspects like quality and quantity ofresources, layout and material flow, etc. play a decisive role for the competitiveness ofenterprises in nearly all industries the importance of the books topic is without question.In the books 4th edition the authors position the topic of facilities planning in a strategicperspective with a special focus on the role of a facility in a supply chain. Consequently thewhole planning process is built on the criteria of supply chain excellence which fully meetsthe requirements of present day networked and globalised world.</p><p>The book is composed of five main parts. In the first part defining requirements theauthors give some useful definitions and discuss the significance of facilities planning.They then introduce a systematic planning process which provides the basis for thefollowing explanations. This is followed by chapters about product, process and scheduledesign, flow systems, activity relationships, space and personnel requirements. Here thebook introduces a lot of useful methods like QFD, Pareto analysis and severalmanagement and planning tools. The second part concepts and techniques fordeveloping alternatives focuses on material handling and layout planning. That partcontains a comprehensive view on the different aspects (objectives, principles, systems,equipment, cost, safety, methods, algorithms and tools) of the two topics. Part three isabout facility design for various functions. According to the necessary functions that canbe found in almost any industry the text gives insight into warehouse operations (includingshipping and receiving, picking, storage), manufacturing systems and facilities systems.Especially this part, with its explanations about structural systems, enclosures, atmo-spheric, electrical, lighting and safety systems, sanitation and building automation, roundsout the holistic view on and the knowledge about facilities planning. In part four theauthors present several quantitative approaches, especially for location problems, machinelayout design, storage models, picking systems, material handling and waiting lines. Partfive is about evaluating, selecting, preparing, presenting, implementing and maintainingfacilities. This part of the book provides a very extensive collection of tools and techniquesfor the evaluation of different alternatives and also gives an overview about differentapproaches for documentation (including 2D and 3D models etc.).</p><p>The strengths of the book are the clear focus on excellence models and the systematicprocess which is based on engineering design. The readership is provided with a hugeamount of examples and practical problems which help to understand the theoreticaland methodical explanations. The authors introduce many practical tools and tech-niques supplemented with cues for their application, whereas they avoid the typical</p><p>ISSN 00207543 print/ISSN 1366588X online</p><p>http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2011.563164</p><p>http://www.tandfonline.com</p><p>Dow</p><p>nloa</p><p>ded </p><p>by [8</p><p>1.227</p><p>.190.2</p><p>4] at</p><p> 16:41</p><p> 29 M</p><p>arch 2</p><p>014 </p></li><li><p>cookbook approach. The reader is enabled to select and to provide the best suited method</p><p>or tool. The book is based on a comprehensive view of facilities which includes for instance</p><p>personnel requirements and facilities systems. The book is very practically oriented which</p><p>is documented for instance in the detailed appendix about material handling equipment,</p><p>the examples in the quantitative part and the introduction of recent software packages for</p><p>several tasks such as layout planning and optimisation. Last but not least the authors</p><p>argue for the importance of a strategic and dynamic view on facilities planning.There are only a few shortcomings worth mentioning. In the introductory part it could</p><p>have been helpful to draw a relationship between the several objectives and the criteria</p><p>used later on for evaluation. Furthermore interrelations between facilities planning and</p><p>other disciplines such as operations management, production planning and control and</p><p>logistics are not elaborated in the book. The part about manufacturing systems is quite</p><p>short and leaves out several important topics, for instance the adequate level of</p><p>automation. In the chapter about quantitative approaches several models and algorithms</p><p>are presented for location and network problems. It would have been helpful if those</p><p>topics had been incorporated in former chapters introducing the problems in a wider</p><p>context. Two important aspects might have been included in the book: first, although</p><p>facilities planning is a complex, more or less unique and risky endeavor with a lot of</p><p>dynamic requirements and interrelations it is usually treated as a project with the</p><p>methodical approach of project management. Second, there are a lot of human aspects like</p><p>individual and collective decision making processes, group dynamics, biases, participation,</p><p>etc. which influence different parts and tasks of the planning process to a large extent.</p><p>Elaborating on those two issues would have given the readership some sense of those two</p><p>more or less operational aspects.The book is suited for students in any engineering programme and also for business</p><p>students in the field of operations management. The book also provides an excellent source</p><p>for practitioners with some academic background who want or need to get involved in the</p><p>field of facilities planning and who need an up-to-date and practice-oriented overview</p><p>about methods and tools as well as on the whole planning process. The book provides easy</p><p>access to the field of facilities planning and does not necessarily require further reading to</p><p>solve planning problems.Finally it can be concluded that the authors were able to fulfill their commitment</p><p>mentioned at the beginning. The book provides its readership with a problem-oriented</p><p>access to the process, to methods, techniques and tools in the field of facilities planning.</p><p>The audience is enabled to solve problems in that field by creatively applying the</p><p>comprehensive methodical inventory presented in a practical manner.</p><p>Ralph RiedelChemnitz University of Technology</p><p>GermanyEmail: ralph.riedel@mb.tu-chemnitz.de</p><p> 2011 Ralph Riedel</p><p>7520 Book reviews</p><p>Dow</p><p>nloa</p><p>ded </p><p>by [8</p><p>1.227</p><p>.190.2</p><p>4] at</p><p> 16:41</p><p> 29 M</p><p>arch 2</p><p>014 </p></li></ul>