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Case StudiesVersacold Logistics - Eastern Creek, Sydney

3B E S T P E O P L E • B E S T J O B S • W O R L D W I D E

Versacold LogisticsEastern Creek, Sydney

Versacold’s integrated worldwide network of 120 strategically located, full service warehouse facilities serve over 3,700 customers across 4 continents.

Versacold Logistics provide a wide range of services to producers, manufacturers, food service operators and retailers, from traditional pallet storage and transport of products, to more complex and demanding logistics services such as:

High volume carton picking, packing and distribution for a wide •range of product lines Inventory management, including stock rotation by use-by dates, •replenishment and stock ownership Customized on-line information •On-line transactions •Blast freezing •Import and export services including customs documentation •and inspection and container packing and unpacking Production line assembly •

In Australia Versacold is recognized as the leader in cold chain, they service the major retails of Coles, Woolworths, Metcash and Franklins. They also service the major chilled and frozen food manufacturers.

Problem In late 2006, Versacold won the right to distribute Coles chilled and Frozen goods across NSW. Coles would build a state of the art distribution centre, Versacold were employed to run and manage the DC.

Versacold had previously serviced some of the Coles business units in NSW, but not all. As such Coles were keen for Versacold to implement an entirely new management team and culture for their new site. Coles were to be heavily involved in the appointment decision of the leadership team in the DC, and only with their endorsement would the appointments be made. It is also important to recognise Coles were undertaking a Supply Chain preview similar to that which Tesco and Sainsbury undertook in the UK over the last 5 years. This meant they were keen to attract candidates who had witnessed and gained some key learning’s from that market. Coles had undergone significant work in re-aligning their business to meet the evolving needs of their clients, they demanded their suppliers do the same.

Scope of Work Logistics Recruitment was tasked with the responsibility attracting and recruiting the entire management team of the Coles DC. This included the DC GM, Ops Managers, Finance, HR, Planning and Maintenance managers, along with operational shift managers. Some 34 roles were recruited over a 12 month period.

Logistics Recruitment were required to conduct a global search for the DCGM, in order to attract a candidate capable of running a DC of such scale – one who had personal involvement in either a Tesco or Sainsbury business unit. A robust behavioural and competency based attraction strategy was utilised, along with comprehensive behavioural and customer alignment testing.

A commercial arrangement was adopted that was very much an open book cost-plus approach. Logistics Recruitment dedicated 2 recruitment specialists to the roles and in doing so they formed a very good understanding of the culture and operational requirement for the candidates.

OutcomeLogistics Recruitment successfully attracted and recruited the senior and middle management team to run and the DC, within the scheduled time frame. Adopted was a commercial viable and mutual beneficial costing structure, which allowed for full transparency throughout the project.

The DC opened on the scheduled date of 21st Jan 2008, this was on track and within the agreed budgetary constraints. It is widely recognised the cultural alignment with Coles was a success and the efficient running of the new DC would not have been possible without this new breed of customer focused employee.