14 OLYMPICSSUPPLEMENT
MENZIES DISTRIBUTION OUTLINES OLYMPIC CONTINGENCY PLANS
W
ith research predicting that two thirds of news retail outlets in London are “likely
to be affected” by disruption to deliveries this summer, Menzies Distribution has been prompted to respond by introducing a number of changes to its time critical delivery service. The wholesaler, which has 2,300
customers across the capital, has been working with retailers and publishers as well as representatives from the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and Transport for London to develop a thorough contingency plan, including the introduction of extra vehicles and earlier delivery times during the Games. A dedicated Games team, set up in
January last year, has held a series of briefi ngs at its headquarters in Menzies Distribution’s Bow depot with publishers and retailers to share its plans and to discuss the potential of earlier deadlines and deliveries. Stuart McLean, Menzies Distribution central logistics development manager
their newspapers and magazines and the retailers who want all products to be available fi rst thing in the morning when they open up.” He continued: “By comparing our
(pictured), said: “The Olympics will bring increased traffi c to London, although the truth is no one really knows how much. What we do know is that it won’t be business as usual and we need to protect our time critical delivery service as much as possible. “It’s a delicate balancing act for us – we need to look after the needs of publishers who want to include the latest news in
retailers’ postcodes with those of the dedicated Olympic Route Network, we have established that 66% will be affected. That is why we are looking so carefully at timings and vehicle planning, and why we have shared our plans early with publishers and retailers. Ultimately we want to do everything we can to minimise disruption and maximise sales.” As well as monitoring traffi c congestion throughout the Games, Menzies Distribution will be analysing sales data to ensure retailers can respond to demand. “Our aim fi rst and foremost is to protect existing sales, but we are also keen to make the most of all opportunities for ourselves and our customers,” McLean concluded. “Our challenge will be to follow consumer demand and to react quickly to sales fi gures, paying special attention to travel outlets where we are going to see the biggest increase in pedestrian traffi c.”
OLYMPIC ONLINE SUPPLY CHAIN RESOURCE GOES LIVE
While retailers are hoping London 2012 will deliver a substantial boost in sales, it is widely acknowledged that the events could also create logistical headaches. As a result, UK specialist supply chain
services provider, Wincanton has created a dedicated Olympics area on its website consolidating various links to useful websites that provide up-to-the-minute information on things like delivery route changes, parking restrictions, postcode information and security. “If you have the time to search for it there is already lots of information out there on various websites about how the Olympics will impact on deliveries during
RETAIL TECHNOLOGY MAY/JUNE 2012
the Olympics,” said Dave Rowlands, head of Wincanton‘s Olympic operational support team. “However we have created a single online resource, a one-stop-shop if you like, that makes it easier to navigate the myriad of information available with intuitive links to the various Olympic delivery partners, such as LOCOG [London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games] and Transport for London, who are responsible for security and managing road and venue access.”
In addition to aggregating and linking to existing online content through its
website,
www.wincanton.co.uk/olympics, Wincanton has also uploaded top tips and case studies together with suggested solutions to help minimise disruptions. “Every day will be different during the Games, with new pinch points occurring regularly on London‘s already- congested roads,” Rowlands added. “For months now we have been working out ways to minimise the Games‘ impact on our customers‘ operations, and key to that process is knowledge and communication, which is why we believe this online resource on our website will be such a boon to those who might be affected.”
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