[asset_ref id=”447″]There was a long list of candidates for this Award, as we have come to expect. Supply Chain Innovation tends to have a strong overlap with good application of IT, but this year the judges separated the two so that they could recognise excellence in both areas. Having done this, the shortlist was still long, but the judges saw three top contenders – Bakkavör Group, Constellation Europe and Joint Supply Chain Services.
Bakkavör Group is a chilled food business with 57 operations across ten countries. The company created a platform to enable communication with its suppliers. However, at present, only a small proportion of suppliers are using the system. The judges felt this was early days for this project.
Constellation Europe has recently changed to an innovative business model that breaks the conventions of traditional wine importing. What is so innovative is the way the company has broken
with the set practices of the industry by moving from importing wine in bottles to transporting wine in bulk and bottling at a state-of-the-art facility in Avonmouth. The cost savings and environmental impact are huge. Constellation scored very highly and was only a fraction away from winning, so the judges felt compelled to Highly Commend them.
However, the winner was the Joint Supply Chain Services which has pioneered the sending of civilians to potentially dangerous areas to give expert support in demobilisation. This cut container usage and reduced loading/unloading time. The judges say: “The paradigm shift is dramatic and highly innovative. The speed of being able to withdraw and get the material out to the field again is impressive. This is a big mind-shift for the military and it has worked incredibly well.”
(From left: Richard Powell, managing director, Crimson & Co; Claire Swatton, warehouse operative, Joint Support Chain Services; Colonel John Lewis, director of operations, Joint Support
Chain Services; Rufus Hound)
Winner
Joint Support Chain Services
Highly commended
Constellation Europe
Shortlisted
BAT in partnership with DHL
Supply Chain
Joint Support Chain Services
Home Retail Group in partnership with Airsprung Group
Pitney Bowes
Procter & Gamble
The Consortium for
Purchasing and Distribution
Vibracoustic Polska
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Services
Constellation Europe
Bakkavör Group
Elekta
