Abstract: An improved material transport system comprising a pallet with an integrated conveyor belt and a powered handtruck operative to move and configure the pallet for loading, transport and unloading. A lift bar on the handtruck has a lower position, wherein the handtruck is used to transport the pallet on a ground surface, and an upper position wherein the rear end of the pallet is lifted to unload material from the conveyor belt to the ground surface. The weight of material on the conveyor belt may cause the material to be unloaded due to gravity, or the belt may be electrically powered. Alternatively, the pallet may include a drive wheel that contacts the ground surface. The drive wheel is mechanically coupled to the front roller of the conveyor belt, causing the belt to move and unload the material onto a ground surface when the handtruck and pallet are moved rearwardly.

Abstract: In a method of managing a supply chain from a supplier to a customer by a service company that purchases a product, a plurality of costs corresponding to supply chain parameters and associated with providing a product to a customer is determined. Each of the plurality of costs is stored in a computer database and is associated with a corresponding supply chain parameter. A subset of the plurality of costs is retrieved from the computer database in response to a supply event relative to the product. A total cost for each of a plurality of supply chain permutations is calculated. Each of the plurality of supply chain permutations includes a different combination of supply chain parameters in the supply chain. The supply chain permutation having a lowest total cost is selected. The customer is supplied with the product by employing the selected supply chain permutations.

Abstract: In a method of managing a supply chain from a supplier to a customer by a service company that purchases a product, a plurality of costs corresponding to supply chain parameters and associated with providing a product to a customer is determined. Each of the plurality of costs is stored in a computer database and is associated with a corresponding supply chain parameter. A subset of the plurality of costs is retrieved from the computer database in response to a supply event relative to the product. A total cost for each of a plurality of supply chain permutations is calculated. Each of the plurality of supply chain permutations includes a different combination of supply chain parameters in the supply chain. The supply chain permutation having a lowest total cost is selected. The customer is supplied with the product by employing the selected supply chain permutations.