04/01/2012   Bibby Distribution Grows Monster Contract

Bibby Distribution is proving that a partnership approach to operational and cost efficiencies in logistics is a winning formula as it secures additional business from Halo Foods, sister company to Honey Monster (HM) Foods.

Following the successful award of the initial three year contract to manage the outbound logistics operations of HM Foods and Fox's confectionary, the agreement has now grown to incorporate additional transport activities for Halo Foods* out of manufacturing plants in Newport and Tywyn, Wales.  

The contract now sees Bibby Distribution operating from production facilities in Middlesex, Leicester, Newport and Tywyn into retail and food service outlets throughout the UK. Additional warehousing activities are also underway in Southall, Middlesex.  

"What's impressive about Bibby is its management attitude," said Nick Abbott, Divisional Logistics Manager for the Halo Foods Group. "The team has a very open and honest approach; prior to awarding the initial contract earlier in the year, we were invited to see a continuous improvement project it had up and running for a customer at its site in Bicester.

"What a novelty from a supplier; the confidence to be transparent in how cost efficiencies are recognised and implemented by onsite staff right up to senior management. This strong partnership approach instantly allayed any trepidation we had in making the move to a new supplier, and the positive start to the relationship has consequently led to significant new business being awarded to Bibby in a very short space of time."

The integration process of the initial contract was completed in just six weeks, with HM Foods quickly seeing its expectations exceeded in terms of agreed key performance indicators.

"The size and scale of activities we have handed to Bibby demand sophisticated and precise reporting which the team have taken in their stride and delivered from day one without incurring any interruptions in service," added Abbott. "We have no doubt that our joint expertise will push the boundaries of our business and uncover significant operational efficiencies."

Expected pallet movements this year alone are in excess of 180,000 and the management and planning of the logistics platform, including routing, scheduling and communications is being handled by an onsite Bibby Distribution team at HM Foods' facility in Southall.

* Halo Foods, HM Foods and Fox's confectionary are all part of the Raisio group of companies.