GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is a leader in the worldwide consumer healthcare market, with brand names such as Panadol, Aquafresh, Lucozade and Ribena. Their main manufacturing plant for Lucozade and Ribena is in Coleford near Gloucester. Subcontract packers in Dorset handle the canning requirements for GSK.
Bridgeway started working with GSK by moving small consignments of blackcurrant concentrate from Cardiff to their plant in Coleford. The consignments were always urgent and needed to be delivered within a couple of hours so that continuous production could be maintained.
We were soon asked to help with the movement of a couple of loads from Dorset to their distribution warehouse in Sharpness near Gloucester. These loads were requested at very short notice needing to be collected within a couple of hours of notification. The success of these initial jobs led to Bridgeway being given responsibility for the movement of all of the production from Dorset, up to 1700 tonnes per week.
Before Bridgeway became involved a constant lack of communication led to a total breakdown in the trust between the production, transport and distribution functions.
Production plans could not be met due to delays and breakdowns, leading to wasted journeys, idle vehicles and empty distribution warehouses, possibly resulting in unfulfilled customer orders.
Bridgeway undertook a study to visit all production, despatch and distribution staff in Dorset and Gloucester to establish a good working relationship. This led to far better channels of communication enabling a smoother product flow. Bridgeway did not get involved with improvements to the production line or relieve the pressures on the distribution warehouse but could make those parts of the chain more harmonious and consequently more efficient.