Esselte appoints Rhys Davies as logistics partner for the UK
Oct 11, 2011
Esselte, manufacturer of office products, has appointed transport specialist Rhys Davies Freight Logistics to deliver its products to wholesale customers and dealers throughout the UK and Ireland. Rhys Davies reportedly won the contract in the face of stiff competition from four other companies approached by Esselte to tender for the work.
Adrian Cuzner, Esselte's Director of Customer Service Development explained why RDFL had been successful. "We approached five logistics companies but surprisingly Rhys Davies was the only one who actually listened to what we were saying and was prepared to adapt its systems to suit our operations. Its willingness to be flexible and give us the level of service we needed without us having to change the way we do things, were the main reasons we awarded Rhys Davies the contract."
Daily deliveries of palletised orders arrive at Rhys Davies' depot in Tipton, Birmingham from Esselte's main distribution centre in Heilbron Germany for onward shipment to over 150 locations. Details of each day's orders are sent to RDFL electronically by Esselte so that appointments can be made with customers for their delivery.
"Our customers are very particular about when their goods are delivered," continued Cuzner. "Rhys Davies is responsible for arranging delivery times and making sure everything runs smoothly. The company also keeps us informed of the movements of each order so we know when deliveries are made and who received them."
As with all modern businesses IT plays an important part in Rhys Davies' operations, but the company has been careful to maintain a fine balance between man and machine. Gary Phillips, Rhys Davies' Commercial Manager said, "We've invested heavily in our IT systems and we'll continue to do so, but human contact is still very important. We always make sure customers have a real person they can contact who really understands their business and can handle any problems. This was one of Esselte's requirements and we were happy to provide it."
