Warehouse - United Kingdom Warehousing Association

24 EnvironmentSome of the big benefits to efficiencyresulting in cost and carbon benefits requirea dramatic change in the way in which theindustry works. My utopian picture is ofshared facilities with shared resources. Weare some way to achieving shared facilities,however shared resources are maybe aleap too far – can you imagine aSainsbury’s branded lorry delivering to aMorrison’s store, who in turn deliver to aTesco store? Inroads are being made innon-competitive collaborations,however the real benefits may bein linking supply chains that currentlyoperate behind closeddoors. Whist the idea of competitorcollaboration is not new, oftenneglected is the idea of collaborationwithin linked supply chains. I would challengewe have not yet got this right. Heinzwent through a light weighting exercise withsome incredible statistics, including 18%more product on a pallet – resulting in bettervehicle fill, less vehicles, miles and fuel.It was essential that the logistics operationwas involved in the project to ensure thatthe packaging was still fit for purpose anddidn’t result in excess damages, mitigatingthe overall benefit. My experience suggeststhat this doesn’t always happen.Whilst these areas challenge, someefforts are already reaping benefits – suchas the ECO Stars schemes, which start toopen up shared experiences that link partners.In summary my belief is that reducingCarbon Can Reduce Costs BUT you doneed to spend to accumulate, you can’t dothis properly without spending at least somemoney and a clear strategy is vital withrealistic KPI’s to be able to measure yourreturn on investment.And what of compliance? Often seen asa cost, the solution is usually seen as eitherto tack responsibilities onto someone else’sjob (if at all) or implement an expensiveMay 2013www.ukwa.org.uk