Imperial Retail Logistics has been awarded a three year contract for warehousing and distribution services by sports nutrition supplement specialist USN.

Cobus Rossouw, Imperial Logistics, chief business development officer, says, “Imperial’s ability to provide USN with a world class warehouse management system and real time visibility of inventory at all times were among the factors that netted the company this new contract. It was critical for Imperial Retail Logistics to have the technical ability to offer a warehouse management system that can interface with USN’s software,to ensure the highest level of batch integrity and inventory and order accuracy,” he expands. “In addition, our transport management system needed to have the capability to generate expected arrival times and timely proof of deliveries.”

Due to Imperial’s solution, USN will according to Rossouw reap the benefits of reduced vehicles, optimised routing and cost savings, Rossouw explains. Reduced kilometres travelled, improved customer service and reduced returns are further benefits, he states.

Rossouw adds, “The company will act as a single point of contact, with full operational accountability, to provide USN with national warehousing and secondary distribution services of all finished goods. We will manage USN’s national distribution network in South Africa, where current routes to market include retail and pharmacy chains like Dischem and Clicks.”

Imperial will store USN products in its bulk facilities in Johannesburg and then replenish the regional sites on a trans-shipment basis. Customer services, inventory forecasting and replenishment, as well as various support functions that will be undertaken through Imperial’s extensive IT resource network, are further value added services that will be provided to USN.

Concluding, “Imperial’s business model and management structure allows us to leverage our existing infrastructure, with expansion, while allowing for a cost effective solution in the regional areas, which are traditionally ‘expensive’ to service. In line with this model, Imperial Retail Logistics has developed very close relationships with preferred agents and sub-contractors in various regions.”

“With more than 35 years’ experience in providing warehousing and distribution services to various customers in the South African FMCG sector, Imperial Retail Logistics is in an excellent position to act as a strategic partner to USN, and to assist the company on its journey to define and upgrade its supply chain network capacity, to enable future business strategies.”