Supply Chain

Self-billing helps identify true costs

Self-billing helps identify true costs

I came across a food manufacturer which queried an invoice it received from the third-party logistics provider (3PL) that ran its warehouse and...

All Asda's eggs in one basket

All Asda's eggs in one basket

Until it was called off, Asda stores across the country were threatened with empty shelves following a vote in favour of strike action by staff at 20...

Solutions for small deliveries

Solutions for small deliveries

By Elaine Watson

A small logistics firm offering creative solutions to the problem of distributing small loads to supermarkets and foodservice outlets is on course to...

Manage your small retailers

Manage your small retailers

As you measure the real costs to serve your customers and can see the true trading margins created, you will be faced with some interesting dilemmas....

What's fair is fair

What's fair is fair

In calculating the real cost of handling and transport to customers, there are three obvious components: the distance from your factory or warehouse,...

Wiseman tracks down dollies

Wiseman tracks down dollies

By Elaine Watson

Robert Wiseman is exploring whether it can build a business case for radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging by using it to keep tabs on roll...

The big squeeze

The big squeeze

Winter may be over, but things are still looking bleak in the cold storage sector. Rebecca Green looks at what is being done to offset spiralling energy costs and accommodate other commercial pressures

Get a handle on your costs

Get a handle on your costs

I have written before about the way manufacturers respond to retailer 'requests' for supply chain redesign. I have urged all suppliers to get a...

Share, you know it makes sense

Share, you know it makes sense

The Americans call it LTL (Less Than full Load) distribution. It requires a shared user network to enable it to operate at an affordable cost to the...

Race is on for Celsius assets

Race is on for Celsius assets

By Elaine Watson

The race is on to sell the remaining assets of cold storage and distribution firm Celsius First after Yearsley Group snapped up depots in Glasgow,...

Somerfield on PCC prowl

Somerfield on PCC prowl

As I explained last month, Somerfield is desperate to reduce its supply chain costs.Its chosen approach is to build PCCs (pre-consolidation centres)....

Suppliers foot the bill - again

Suppliers foot the bill - again

I hear that Somerfield is aiming to increase its suppliers' cost to serve. The retailer's proposition allegedly consists of a target to cut stocks,...

Go with the flow, says Asda

Go with the flow, says Asda

We thought until earlier this month that retail-ready packaging was the main current, retailer-led change initiative.However, in October Asda...

Pressure rises to cut food miles

Pressure rises to cut food miles

The government taskforce on sustainable procurement has changed its rules of engagement with suppliers to rebalance the often conflicting issues of...

No hiding place

No hiding place

It is interesting how few food manufacturers have a hard measure of the profits they really make from individual customers. An ambient food...

Time for supply chain quid pro quo

Time for supply chain quid pro quo

Isn't it interesting how retailer-enforced changes in the supply chain are often better supported by suppliers than by the retailers' own staff!As...

Cool new approach to cut freight costs

Cool new approach to cut freight costs

By Elaine Watson

While the industry is littered with the carcases of dot.coms that have bitten the dust, those that have proved they are more than a bunch of...

Transparency is the key to happiness

Transparency is the key to happiness

I recently came across a bad example of a warehouse draft contract, which failed the two basic rules of 'fit for purpose' for relationships where the...

Beware those inflexible contracts

Beware those inflexible contracts

I had a call the other day to be a 'marriage guidance' counsellor for a third party logistics provider (3PL) and a customer who had fallen out over...

Food goes radio ga ga

Food goes radio ga ga

By Elaine Watson

There is a business case for RFID tags on returnable assets, but the jury is still out when it comes to mass tagging of cases, says Elaine Watson

The true cost of our journeys

The true cost of our journeys

It's roughly 1,000 miles from Northern Spain to the UK Midlands by road. That journey has a current commercial cost of around 70p per case for double...

A chilling thought...

A chilling thought...

Keeping food and drink at the right temperature throughout the supply chain isn't an especially complex task, but when corners are cut to save costs, problems can arise. Robin Meczes reports.

Pan-European disaster area?

Pan-European disaster area?

Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) is the forum in which operations and sales directors organise themselves to balance their sales effort and...

It's good to talk

It's good to talk

By Elaine Watson

Effective demand planning for promotions continues to be scuppered by poor communications both within and between companies, according to a new study...

On the road to compliance

On the road to compliance

By Lynda Searby

The Road Transport Directive has made a 48 hour working week for drivers mandatory. But at what cost to the food industry? Lynda Searby finds out

Tesco: shelf- ready or else?

Tesco: shelf- ready or else?

Tesco has started the roll-out of shelf-ready packaging by making a special offer to suppliers. It runs roughly like this: "Commit to shelf-ready...

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