08.11.11
Increased efficiency thanks to a new concept:
Logwin takes on cross-docking management for bellaflora
- © Logwin: The logistics company has assumed
responsibility for cross-docking on behalf of
several suppliers for decorative items
and garden accessories, so-called
hardware.
Grevenmacher (Luxembourg) – bellaflora, Austria’s largest garden center chain, is reorganizing deliveries to its stores in close cooperation with the international logistics service provider Logwin. The logistics company has assumed responsibility for cross-docking on behalf of several suppliers for decorative items and garden accessories, so-called hardware. The complete reorganization of its logistics will be effected gradually, having commenced in July 2011 and expected to finish in the 2012 business year.
bellaflora buys on the world markets. Logwin procures flower pots, basketry and artificial plants for the garden specialist in the Far East. bellaflora also purchases other goods from countries such as Poland, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany. All this hardware arrives in Logwin’s warehouse in Linz, from where the logistics specialist bundles distribution to the 24 garden centers. In the past, domestic and foreign suppliers delivered direct to bellaflora stores. “The new concept enables us to control our flow of goods more efficiently and thus to offer our customers even higher availability of goods,” says Nikolaus Thaller, Managing Director of bellaflora.
Regular store delivery
For Logwin the change means a completely new delivery structure. “Deliveries used to be sporadic and order-related,” explains Michael Plakolb, Manager Sales and Key Account Management at the Logwin business segment Solutions. The logistics specialist now expects one delivery a day. Accordingly, goods will also leave the warehouse more frequently. “There will be regular deliveries to the stores,” states Michael Plakolb, “Once a week in the low season and twice a week in the high season.” He anticipates there will be 6,500 outgoing pallets per year. Around seven full-time workers will then be deployed only for bellaflora.
The logistics company uses 900 m² of its warehouse in Linz for bellaflora products. Staff in the transit warehouse pick all incoming goods into orders within a short time – the articles remain in the warehouse for only 48 hours. Logwin also provides value-added services such as the arrangement of artificial plants, labeling and the disposal of packaging material. So far Logwin has been processing around 500 bellaflora articles annually. “This number will multiply in future – as is the number of deliveries,” announces Michael Plakolb.
The introduction of radio frequency identification (RFID) is also planned for next year. The transport boxes will then be “married” to the goods and bellaflora will be able to track where which goods currently are as a result of the distinct assignment of consignment to means of transport.
Logwin and bellaflora have been collaborating for many years. The logistics company transported the garden specialist’s first container back in 1994. Today about 100 standard containers arrive by ship in the port of Hamburg from where they are transported by rail to Linz.
About bellaflora
bellaflora, “the Green Number 1” was founded in 1978. Austria’s leading chain of garden centers generated sales of 85 million euros in 2010. Around 500 people are employed at the 24 locations, including 20 vocational trainees. The company is privately owned by Austrian nationals. The company’s is headquartered in Leonding near Linz.
www.bellaflora.at
More information on Logwin AG.
More information on the business segment Solutions.
Contact:
Michael Plakolb
Manager Sales and Key Account Management
at the Logwin business segment Solutions
Phone: +43 732 650545-6440
Fax: +43 732 650545-6410
michael.plakolb@logwin-logistics.com
Dominique Simone Klopp
Public Relations
Phone: +352 719690-1354
Fax: +352 719690-1359
pr-info@logwin-logistics.com
Logwin AG | ZIR Potaschberg | 5, an de Laengten | 6776 Grevenmacher | Luxembourg
