Sony DADC has announced collaboration agreements with Cert Octavian and Cinram to accommodate its supply chain operations at their warehousing locations in the Greater London area.
The move follows the fire at its distribution centre in Enfield, UK on 8th August during the riots which resulted in the loss of the building.
Darren Houghton, managing director UK distribution at Sony DADC, said: “Within an hour after the incident at Enfield, Sony DADC’s disaster recovery plan was in place and enabled a crisis team to start action. As quickly as August 9, 2011 we started to re-manufacture destroyed product and expanded Direct-to-Retail shipments from our Southwater production facility, which was not affected by the riots.
“Our supply chain IT solution proved to be robust and a strong backbone. By using a multi-site approach, it guaranteed that not a single order or EDI message was lost, and all IT systems and services were up and running and not affected by the fires. In the days following the incident, our crisis team investigated alternative warehousing solutions and we have, after careful consideration from a risk mitigation and employee commuting point of view, opted for two different locations.”
Some 80 per cent of the Enfield volume is now being managed from Hoddesdon, where Cert Octavian has offered Sony DADC use of storage and distribution facilities at its main hub, which is ten miles from Sony DADC’s Enfield distribution centre.
The Cinram facility is located in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, approximately 40 miles from the Enfield location. While Cinram will temporarily operate pick, pack & ship, returns management and value-added services for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, making up the other 20 per cent of Enfield volume, the studio’s points of contact will remain the same − order desk and cash collection services will continue to be managed by Sony DADC staff.
All of Sony DADC’s permanent staff employed in Enfield will remain with the company.
“The level of support we have received from our customers, Sony affiliate companies, local distribution centres and other companies from within the industry has been remarkable. Without it, such a fast reaction to market demands would not have been achieved,” said Houghton.
“Our staff members have been incredibly supportive, often working extended hours to make a fast contingency solution happen as quickly and smoothly as possible” he continues. All permanent staff employed at Enfield will remain with the company, and Sony DADC will also continue to work with the same temporary staff agencies to fulfil additional staff requirements as it did in Enfield.
