shd excellence in logistics Homebase/Unipart l


Faced with the dual challenge of taking £20m worth of inventory out of its supply chain and driving productivity improvements across its distribution network, DIY retailer Homebase has leveraged its collaborative relationship with Unipart Logistics to deliver on its objectives.


Collaboration delivers


H


omebase is one of the UK’s most readily recognised retail brands. As the second-largest home improvement retailer in the


country, the company sells over 30,000 products across its DIY & decorating and home & garden ranges, and has a growing internet offering. Homebase serves over 70 million customers a year through its network of around 350 large, out-of-town stores and has plans in place to add 15 new stores a year. Maintaining on-shelf availability


across its retail network, with such a diverse product range, is a daily challenge for Nigel Basey, head of distribution at Homebase. Against this daily requirement for high product availability, Basey has been working to achieve the company’s ambitious goal on inventory. Homebase has been engaged for the past two years in a strategic plan to reduce inventory by £20m a year in order to improve cash- flow. Many retailers have attempted similar aims; however few have achieved them so successfully.


Reduction in stockholding Working closely with logistics service partner, Unipart Logistics, Homebase has made significant reductions to stock holdings, improved productivity within the supply chain, cut costs and radically restructured its distribution centre network to bring the financial benefits sought - and at the same time, the company has improved on-shelf availability in store.


Basey describes the implications of the reduced stock holding on the company’s distribution network: "We


16 ShD January 2012 www.PressOnShD.com


excellence in logistics


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68