Reviews the value of network concepts as a means of portraying complex logistics and distribution systems. Reports on research which focuses on the broader issues of model formulation and solution techniques rather than specific applications. Addresses the issues of designing networks with a tree structure, and also more general ones in which loops are allowed and redundancy enforced. The decision variables involved are related to whether or not a link should exist between two specific pairs of nodes, and then what should be the level of traffic flow on that particular link. Describes the design problem in detail and possible models that could be used to represent it. Follows with a description of genetic algorithms to solve the synthesis problem of deciding the node‐link topology, and the use of linear and non‐linear programming to solve the problem of assigning traffic flow to a network with a given typology in a least‐cost manner. Concludes with a description of computational experience with solving such problems.