Rhys Davies Freight Logistics provides Associated Weavers with specialised service
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| Rhys Davies provides Associated Weavers with a specialised service |
With the danger of being left with no distribution network for its products in the UK, Associated Weavers was given little option but to temporarily buy the former delivery company to ensure that its UK orders were still distributed. However, this was far from desirable, so when Rhys Davies offered it the perfect solution, to hold and distribute the carpets from its Birmingham, Cardiff, Haydock, London, Scotland and Wakefield depots, Associated Weavers was understandably delighted.
Steve Elliott, Managing Director of Associated Weavers, said, “The quality of the service was the most important thing. It was their experience and expertise in distribution which impressed us. Carpets are not easy to handle when it comes to distribution so we needed a company who knew what they were doing.”
Because carpet handling and distribution is such a specialised area, Rhys Davies established a storage and distribution infrastructure to ensure that the length and width of the product was considered and catered for. Gary Phillips, Commercial Manager of Rhys Davies Freight Logistics, said, “To handle the carpets we use a fork lift truck only instead of the forks we use booms to take the weight of the carpet.”
It wasn’t just the size and weight of the product that Rhys Davies had to consider. Due to the nature of the product it was vital that systems were as automated as possible. A standard trailer carrying pallets could conceivably have as many as 60 pallets on it, whereas a carpet trailer could have as many as 450. This makes traceability of the product crucial.
“We established a two-way Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) link with Associated Weavers in Belgium,” said Gary. This means that every time a carpet is scanned into or out of our warehouses, or is delivered to the client, the guys at Associated Weavers know about it.”
Associated Weavers can access the dedicated Tracking System which details how many carpets have been received and are in stock, which carpets are out for delivery and how many carpets are planned for delivery the next day. This allows the Associated Weavers’ service team to provide a rapid response to any customer queries.
Steve said that the tracking system is a great benefit to them. “The IT system saves us time and money. We can easily track our products which saves back and forth telephone conversations about the locations of deliveries.”
“The proof of the system’s success is in the fact that I have to talk to the guys at Rhys Davies very rarely,” said Steve. “This means that there aren’t many, or any problems or damages that we need to discuss. The distribution of products for any business should be something that goes on in the background without any problems and that’s what we’ve found using Rhys Davies.”
Another aspect of Rhys Davies’ service, which has not gone unnoticed by Steve is the fact that the company uses the same regular staff rather than employing agency personnel who often, have no familiarity or understanding of the products they are transporting. “Rhys Davies’ drivers know our product and become regular, trusted faces to our clients,” said Steve. “They know the delivery points and how each particular client likes the carpets delivered. For example they might know that one client prefers deliveries before 11 o’clock, or that another likes their carpets delivered directly to the shop floor rather than the store room. It’s all about that extra attention to detail which means we trust Rhys Davies to represent our company.”
Rhys Davies Freight Logistics will be appearing at The Harrogate Flooring Show, 5th-7th September 2010, Hall M stand M8.
‘More than just transport’
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Rhys Davies Freight Logistics is a national network employing 400 staff, operating 170 vehicles through eight operating centres throughout the UK. It offers a uniquely tailored warehousing, distribution and handling service that extends to much more than just transport. These services include: re-working, re-packing, quality control, auditing and across-the-threshold deliveries to businesses and private residencies.
Further editorial information from:
Charlotte Freestone
The Words Workshop Ltd
26 Swanwick Lane
Milton Keynes
MK10 9LD.
Tel: 01908 695500 Fax: 01908 690099
E-mail: charlotte@thewordsworkshop.co.uk
Web: www.thewordsworkshop.co.uk
All business enquiries to:
Gary Phillips
Rhys Davies Freight Logistics
Moy Road Industrial Estate
Taffs Well
Cardiff, CF15 7QR
Tel: 029 2081 0587 Fax: 029 2081 5109
E-mail: gary.phillips@rhysdavies.co.uk
Web: www.rhysdavies.co.uk