A Duty of Care

Like many people reading this blog, I have spent much of my working life in the Transport, Warehousing and Logistics Industry. Over the years we have always had to face a changing market place, consolidation, regulation and of course competition.

However there is one issue that I never thought I would be faced with, an issue of such magnitude it could affect everyone on this planet.

The issue of course is Global Warming, Climate Change and the whole Eco Challenge. Add to this the incredible rises in energy prices and suffice to say we all need to look at our business models.

Warehouse construction has shown marked improvements over the years as new building regulations, new materials and techniques have all helped reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions. There is however, always room for improvement and one area I believe we could improve, not only on reducing Energy Consumption and CO2 emissions, but also on Health and Safety, Improved Working Environment, reduced Picking Errors, and better productivity is in the Lighting Standards of our warehouses.

Working with a company who specialise in Energy Efficient Lighting Solutions I was able to clearly understand the multiple issues involved in creating a cost effective and operational efficient solution.

The results of the work undertaken were outstanding. Using High Quality Luminaries, with state of the art presence detection, has shown energy savings of over 80% per annum. Not only that, improvement to the working environment was clear for all to see. Examples of before and after results at some “case study” sites showed that the new technology has led to some really big steps forward in Illuminating Large Areas where Low Occupancy Levels (as in most warehouses) exist.

The concept is quite clear and straightforward:-

Replace the existing (typically inefficient Low Bay or High Bay Fittings) with new Fluorescent T5 Lamped Fittings all fitted with Presence Detection suitable for High Level Installation. The luminaries run at reduced power consumption when there is no movement detected, but INSTANTLY switch to full brightness when an operative enters the area covered by the detector. Having carried out several test sites, the manufacturers were able to observe the movements of staff and plant around the warehouse, and couple this with the energy consumption via a “Power Logger”. The results are self-explanatory; the shown graph clearly identifies the reduction in energy used when nobody is present in an aisle.

The magenta mine clearly shows the power consumption at Full Loading from the moment the building opens, until closing time. The blue line identifies operatives movement around the building and the reduction in energy used.

You can also see from the before and after photos how the lighting has improved the work place. One of the best examples of this is how the new fittings, with better LOR (Light Output Ratios) illuminates the “vertical” surfaces of the pallet racking. This makes identifying items to be picked that much easier, leading to better productivity and reduced picking errors.


One of my main concerns was having long racking aisles at times in darkness thus causing Health and Safety issues. The solution was to allow the lights to run at just 10% of power consumption when not in an “occupied” state. This of course means that the aisles are never in total darkness. Another benefit from this technical advancement is extended lamp life. This works because the “cathode” (the bit that warms up the gases in the tube to you and me!) is never allowed to get completely cold and therefore its life span is increased. Manufacturers of lamps, when stating Lamp Life, base their calculations on 6 times switching from cold, per day, This new design means the cathode is always running warm thus extending its life. The biggest cause of failure in lamps is the switching on and off from cold.


To summarise I found this technology most informative and useful, and when large areas of warehousing with low occupancy levels are involved, the savings are significant. Even without the energy savings the quality of lighting resulting in better Health and Safety and productivity should be considered.

We all need to think about the future, whether it be rising fuel costs, or protecting the planet for our children and our grandchildren. Everybody in all sectors of life can do something to help both their profitability and the quality of the environment.

Why don’t you consider reviewing your warehouse lighting and do your bit for the planet as well as saving money for the business.


In Conclusion
We All have a duty of care to the planet which can be addressed through newly developed technology. This new technology was developed and tested by Dexeco. If you would like to know more about the technology then contact:- Alan Reynolds, Dexeco, Brickfields Business Park, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4PX. Tel:- 01747-858100e-mail sales@dexeco.co.uk

Phots removed but if you want a copy of the article please e-mail me at:-
mike.forryan@logistics-consultants.co.uk

Customer Service

In my job as a Supply Chain consultant I am frequently asked to provide a service that the customers want. When I research the way in which they identify the Customers requirement I find a bag of issues but no clearly defined customers views. I am sure this is not because the Customers have no views but is the result of the way in which the views are recorded and collated.

The research I undertook showed quite clearly that there was plenty of so called feedback services but none of them “did what it said on the tin”

The process needed to give the customer a “Closed loop Customer / Supplier feedback on products and or services where the Customer defines an issue. Other Customers can see it and add a signature to it or alternatively add new issues”

The concept is based upon a human trait of wishing to complain but the knowledge that complaining directly to a Company is not going to have the impact to resolve the issue.

A novel but forceful concept. I found a company, Equora Ltd, that provides just such a service. Utilising the Equora Ltd system consolidates like complaints and focuses the Customers thoughts through volume and specifically targeted complaints.

Equora Customer Services provides commercial organisations with the ultimate feedback mechanism allowing them to implement continuous improvement based on continuous customer feedback. And for their customers, it gives their opinion some weight because of the “commitment to act” that an organisation has to sign up to before adopting Equora Customer Services. The whole process has been designed to filter out one-off issues or gripes and to allow organisations to focus on improving products or services based on a critical mass of customer opinion.

If this is a service you are interested in to give you a major competitive advantage then call me to discuss the service.

The Green Supply Chain

I have seen many articles discussing the green supply chain and in every case the articles talk about reducing carbon emissions, reducing the carbon footprint but little about actual ways to reduce the footprint.
Have any of you people out there had experience with this issue and if so please tell us how you have helped in reducing the carbon footprint? We know it is right to do it but we want to see ideas on how it should be done.

Growing Your Business in Europe

This is an article directed at those businesses outside the EU who are interested in either establishing a new business or growing an existing business. It is a good starting point with additional help and support provided by the site.

Extract:

"How many times have you wished for direct access to market specific information directly related to your business? With the right information you could make decisions quickly that were sound and potentially profitable for your business.
US based manufacturers looking at Europe often make the mistake of considering that the European market place, a “Common Market”, is similar to North American. How far from the truth this is. Europe is still fragmented by language, national boundaries, regional and religious variations which makes doing business in Europe a whole new “ball game”.
What about “English” as a common language you say. Consider that the USA and the UK both speak “English” as a national language but there are many differences, which leads to the saying “two countries divided by a common language”. There are many areas of misunderstanding between two such similar countries and you can expect many more when you include the other European countries that speak “English” as a second language."

The full article can be found at http://www.logistics-consultants.co.uk

Supply Chain Data Analysis "Tools" Training

Ever wanted to see a video of how to do some of the trickier formatting in Excel? Well, now you can. Have a look at http://www.datapigtechnologies.com/ExcelMain.htm
I use Pivot tables a lot in my job as a Supply Chain specialist when looking at warehouse operating data and KPI’s and this was an excellent training aid. If you know of any more such training sites which use video examples please let me know.

Help in Business Design - Supply Chain Related Support

De Montfort University Helps Businesses – By Design


Help is at hand for businesses which need advice on how to turn a fresh idea into an exciting new product.
De Montfort University’s (DMU) New Product Development Centre (NPDC) is offering free advice and consultancy to 25 firms.
The brand-new facility can help organisations with:
· Consumer product design
· Medical devices
· Innovative Packaging
· Retail Design
· Point of Sale Design
· Exhibition Design
· Capital Equipment
· Engineering
· Architectural Design
· Furniture Design

The advice and consultancy will be available on a first-come, first served basis.
Interested firms can find out more at two events later this month. On Tuesday, 12 June, the Centre will hold a New Product Development Showcase, to demonstrate how its state-of-art technology can help develop products quickly and effectively. The event will take place between 5pm and 7.30pm.
On Tuesday, 19 June, it will hold the Resource Efficient Design and Innovation Exchange, between 9am and 11am. This event will show how the Resource Efficient Design (RED) initiative can help to minimise waste and maximise profit.
Previously, the NPDC has had success helping a Loughborough-based manufacturer Mogo UK, develop the ‘Auto Docu Dash’. The simple product allows drivers to display or hide notices such as doctor on call signs or disabled badges in the window of a car. In just three months, 80,000 have been sold.
David Hughes, Managing Director of Mogo UK says: “The success of Docu Dash, has made a major contribution to our product range and thus our profitability and our profile in the market.”
The NPDC was set up to help Leicestershire businesses use fresh ideas to get ahead and to help the East Midlands region grow as a centre for creative excellence. The Centre is funded by the Leicester Shire Economic partnership
To find out more visit the NPDC’s website www.dmudesign.co or telephone 0116 250 6238 for more details.

Business Turnaround Projects

Interim professionals may wish to have a look at this guide which is aimed at turnaround projects.
It is published by the Turnaround Management Association TMA (UK), the professional organisation where executives and professionals from all disciplines can exchange information, ideas and knowledge about the turnaround industry. The guide contains a wealth of resources useful to anyone involved in corporate rescue and recovery, as well as an overview of the industry and predictions about future trends and events in turnaround.

The 2007-2008 Turnaround Guide is available as a PDF document for you to download at http://www.executivesonline.co.uk/about_us/reports/Tma/TMA.pdf.

If any one would like further information on turn around projects you can contact me at mike.forryan@logistics-consultants.co.uk