How has the Logistics Department dealt with the Company’s unstoppable growth over the last few years?
It has been and continues to be a big challenge, because our department is responsible for coordinating the delivery of a wide selection of products ranging from beer, water, wine, cider or spirits, to imported beers. Each of our products end up at different channels (Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Sector, Retail, Export, Modern Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Sector…), not to mention the specific logistics required for Cellar Beers, which force us to adapt our service model to the specific needs of each and every one of them.
We have had to adapt our structure, so that, whilst keeping up with this growth, we are able to offer our customers our complete portfolio, maintaining a high level of service appropriate to our products.
What resources does the Logistics department rely on to carry out these tasks on a daily basis?
In addition to our own logistics team and the personnel from the other areas which we work with, we have a huge number of associates including carriers, agencies, logistics operators, forwarding agents etc., enabling us to respond promptly to our daily demand.
What’s more, over the past two years, we have brought two regulatory centres into operation, in La Coruña and Madrid, enabling us to provide a multiproduct service to all of our markets. This has been a huge change when it comes to service management, as we now have stock available in warehouses outside the Hijos de Rivera installations for the first time.
What advantages for the Department’s work have been brought about by the implementation of the new automatic warehouse?
The new automatic warehouse has not only led to an important increase in our warehousing capacity, but also, above all, it has enabled us to practically double our daily load capacity, facilitating necessary manoeuvres and automating the orders preparation process.
The automatic warehouse’s launch has involved the whole of the Operations department, because, the configuration of many of our products, for example, has had to be adapted to make them suitable to the exacting entrance and handling conditions in the warehouse, which has been achieved thanks to the great job done by the industrial department.
In what way is the Logistics Department interrelated to other Departments in the firm, such as the Sales Department for example?
The logistics department is one of the departments which work very closely with the sales department, as we channel every customer order, be it for products or other auxiliary elements, such as POS. We attempt to respond to all needs which are made known to us, thereby making us allies with the sales team.
Additionally, because our department is the first step in the market’s needs, we are what links them to the rest of the Operations department, above all as far as short term needs are concerned. In this case, the collaboration between departments is the key to everything working properly.
What are the Department’s most urgent challenges?
Our main challenge which we will face over the next few years is, ultimately, to continue supporting the company’s growth and expansion, by offering an excellent level of service in all circumstances, and thereby contributing to the strengthening of our product’s premium characteristics.
In order to achieve this we have to be flexible enough to offer solutions adapted to the needs of each channel and market, thus turning logistics into a competitive advantage.
The logistics department’s ROLES:
— To design the Company’s global logistics model.
— To define the transportation policy between factories and/or warehouses and final customers, and to organise the connection with carriers.
—It is responsible for the delivery in due form and time of the different products to the HR customers, as well as the inverse logistics (container returns and/or refunds).
—Works with the purchasing department to define the model for the supply of raw and auxiliary materials.
—Manages and negotiates the contracts for the provision of logistical services.
—Cellar Beers:
-Designs the national service model.
-Is responsible for the transport, distribution and delivery of this product.
-Manages and defines necessary resources.
VERY personal
Age: 41
Marital status: Married
A meal: Scrambled eggs and ham
A drink: Estrella Galicia Beer
A hobby: Anything related to the sea
Favourite city: A Coruña
A book: Fall of Giants, by Ken Follet
A film: The Departed, by Martin Scorsese
A song: Sultans of Swing, by Dire Straits
A moment: Those which I spend with my family
A challenge: Be better everyday
Something you hate: Hypocrisy
An excuse: I’ll call you right back
