Global Logistics and Supply Chain Strategies - March 2008 - (Page 49)

ager in the U.S. “Promotional packaging is becoming more important to retailers as changes in mass media make traditional types of advertising less effective,” says Dean Metter, vice president of business development at Alliance. “Retailers like Wal-Mart are segmenting their stores and designing promotional displays to appeal to specific demographic groups,” he says. By partnering with OHL, “we are able to provide customers with a one-stop-shop,” he says. We are able to design and manufacture the material, contract pack it and ship it. Our services complement each other.” The combination of supply chain and packaging solutions also is one of xpedx’s value propositions, says Jeff Neely, director of sales, distribution strategy and solutions. “One of the interesting things about xpedx is that we have a core competency in packaging and also in the supply chain with our 3PL work,” he says. “What that means for the customer is that they can go to one place and get everything from packaging design and sourcing, to kitting and assembly, and ultimately to distribution. We can take costs out and add efficiency to all those different elements.” PMC approaches packaging from a different perspective, offering it as a complement to its simulation and optimization services in such areas as supply chain design and lean implementations. “We optimize such areas as labor, material flow and logistics,” says Sandhu. “We saw gaps in the packaging area so we added packaging to our profile about a year ago. Our goal is to be the turnkey operations improvement firm.” One of the problems Sandhu sees at companies is that packaging or logistics experts are brought into the picture only after the product and marketing strategy have been developed. “If companies involved the packaging and logistics groups up front they wouldn’t run into some of these problems after they have launched the product.” Ampuja agrees. “When I go into a company that wants to make a change to a box or introduce a new box, I ask the logistics guys how much input they had; they usually say none at all,” he says. “Somebody else made the decision and handed the box to them and said ‘get this shipped and delivered as cheaply as possible.’ What they don’t realize is that the freight costs would almost certainly have been much lower if they had talked to the logistics guys first rather than last. That’s something companies need to change.” To access this article online, visit The Digital Edition at www.SupplyChainBrain.com. Resource Links Georgia-Pacific, www.gp.com Wal-Mart, www.walmartstores.com xpedx, www.xpedx.com Adalis, www.adalispackaging.com Supply Chain Optimizers, www.supplychainoptimizers.com The Jay Group, www.jaygroup.com PMC Corp., www.pmcorp.com Craters & Freighters, www.cratersandfreighters.com OH Logistics, www.ohlogistics.com Alliance, www.alliancerocktenn.com www.SupplyChainBrain.com GLOBAL LOGISTICS & SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGIES 49 http://www.SupplyChainBrain.com http://www.gp.com http://www.walmartstores.com http://www.xpedx.com http://www.adalispackaging.com http://Logistics.utk.edu http://www.supplychainoptimizers.com http://Logistics.utk.edu http://www.jaygroup.com http://www.pmcorp.com http://www.cratersandfreighters.com http://www.ohlogistics.com http://www.alliancerocktenn.com http://www.SupplyChainBrain.com

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Global Logistics and Supply Chain Strategies - March 2008 Editorial GL & SCS Exclusive FastForward Up Front The Green in Green Think Inside the Box Have a Second Look Can't Happen Here Opinion: Stay in the Black as Your Workforce Fades to Gray Opinion: Four Critical Steps to Managing Change in the Supply Chain Industry Voices

Global Logistics and Supply Chain Strategies - March 2008

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