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• Reducing current dimensional proliferation in<br />
one-way secondary items and strictly limiting<br />
the burgeoning profusion of reusable<br />
secondary items or RTI (see Figure 36)<br />
• Initiating research and development for a new<br />
generation of integrated tertiary items which<br />
will allow more products to be cross-docked.<br />
Figure 36: Unit Loads development<br />
Source: A.T. Kearney<br />
9.3. Recommendations<br />
The following recommendations have been developed<br />
jointly by A.T. Kearney and the EUL project team:<br />
1 Manufacturers, retailers, service providers and<br />
suppliers of secondary and tertiary unit loads<br />
should work together to improve the total supply<br />
chain. This can be carried out through bilateral<br />
manufacturer – retailer initiatives or ones which<br />
also involve third parties. AIM, CIES, Euro<br />
Commerce and other organisations should actively<br />
support these initiatives.<br />
2 A successful co-operation should start by assessing<br />
the current situation. Since many supply chains are<br />
not ‘transparent’, a useful diagnostic tool is the<br />
‘Unit Loads Efficiency Matrix’ described in Chapter<br />
4. This will provide an objective starting point on<br />
which to base discussions. It will identify major<br />
inefficiencies, benchmark operations and can be<br />
used to help in setting joint targets.<br />
3 Both local, national and European associations<br />
should work together to limit the proliferation of<br />
unit load dimensions. European standards should<br />
be established; no new national standards should<br />
be accepted.<br />
64<br />
Proliferation<br />
One-way<br />
secondary<br />
unit load<br />
Returnable secondary<br />
unit loads with restricted<br />
variety of dimensions<br />
and features<br />
Returnable<br />
items at current<br />
growth rate<br />
time<br />
4 Existing standards should be updated accordingly<br />
to reflect technological or other developments.<br />
5 A standardisation authority should be established<br />
at European level to promote best practice in the<br />
development and management of RTI. Preferably<br />
under the leadership and guidance of EAN<br />
International. This authority should be supported<br />
by CCG, CBL and other national initiatives dealing<br />
with RTI.<br />
6 The <strong>ECR</strong> Board of Europe has set up several supply<br />
chain side related projects:<br />
• EDI – Electronic Data Interchange<br />
• ER – Efficient Replenishment<br />
• EUL – Efficient Unit Loads<br />
All three projects have focused on a functional<br />
The Efficient Unit Loads Report