https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0139
Digital material flow management in Takt production
Jaakko Riekki1, Olli Seppänen2 & Antti Peltokorpi3
1Doctoral Candidate, Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Finland, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-0306-21652Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Finland, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-2008-5924
3Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, Finland, [email protected]:, orcid.org/0000-0002-7939-6612
Abstract
Efficient construction requires reliable material flow. Modern methods such as takt production increasingly present challenges to the service level of existing material delivery processes. Some specialized contractors, using material management software, already tackle these challenges but there is scant empirical research on their performance and contribution. Therefore, this study investigates such material flow management and aims to reveal insights that could improve them. To achieve this, we first analyzed data from two projects that employed a material flow contractor and utilized a digital material management system. We then interviewed the managers in charge of the material flow systems in the case projects for additional insight. Our analysis indicated that material planning often failed to meet the intended time horizons and to implement a pull signal. The shortcomings stemmed predominantly from organizational inexperience of rigorous material flow management. We also found defects in data quality and management. Deliveries lacked explicit linkage with production, which resulted in batch-size mismatches, so the site team had to often rely on tacit knowledge. The findings suggest that software improvements and training managers in material planning could enhance efficiency. Future research should address especially the barriers to effective material planning and the pull signal implementation.
Keywords
Material flow management, Takt production, data-driven management.
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Reference in APA 7th edition format:
Riekki, J., Seppänen, O. & Peltokorpi, A.. (2026). Digital material flow management in Takt production. In Hamzeh, F., Poshdar, M., & Garcia-Lopez,, N. P. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) (pp. 1511–1522). https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0139
Shortened reference for use in IGLC papers:
Riekki, J., Seppänen, O. & Peltokorpi, A.. (2026). Digital material flow management in Takt production. IGLC34. https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0139
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