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DHL is setting the pace for delivering the Olympics
Page 10
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Workers are busy in London building the venues that will be used for the 2012 Olympics. How is the delivery of materials by road being managed?
DHL ISN'T LOOKING for the fastest final mile when it comes to building the sites for the 2012 Olympic Games, but making sure materials arrive at the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantity – that could win it gold.
In November 2008, DHL secured the contract to run the two Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) logistics centres in Barking and Chigwell in Essex, beating off competition from the likes of Port of Tilbury and EWS Railvvavs.
The sites now manage inbound material deliveries for suppliers, manufacturers and contractors involved in the construction of the Olympic Park. All inbound construction traffic has to pass through the centres for marshalling, scheduling and security clearance.
Ray Payne, head of construction strategy and logistics at the ODA, says: "The logistics centres at the Barking and Ml 1 [Chigwell] sites provide core vehicle marshalling services for the ODA.
"Each centre is in line with the needs of the Olympic Park, and provides access irrespective of the number and size of deliveries."
Complex programme Payne adds: -Given the complexity of the programme and the constrained nature of the site, the ODA has taken a stance to manage construction traffic, imposing a robust security regime and reducing the impact on the local community and the environment."
DHL Supply Chain business development director Jonathan Shortis says the firm has put a software system in place that shows vehicle status in real-time, the time it's required at a site, and the location of the final delivery point.
He adds: "Vehicle marshalling and security clearing operations take place at the two centres before scheduling deliveries to the park. As a result, customers can benefit from minimised vehicle waiting times and decreased congestion in and around the Park."
The Barking logistics centre is a 23-acre facility, accessed either from the A13 or via the national
rail network. The site has capacity for 93 lorries per hour, 146,000ft2 of warehousing space and 40,000ft2of secure office space.
Secure locations
It also boasts secure parking, highspeed intemet access and an on-site canteen. It deals with traffic coming from the South, East or from the ports at Tilbury, Felixstowe, Dover or Southampton.
The site also offers a 'drop trailer' service, where clients can deliver and/or collect a trailer from the facility, which increases vehicle utilisation and ensures compliance with drivers' hours rules.
Shortis adds: "DHL works with the operator of the on-site Barking rail terminal – John G Russell – to provide a multimodal capability. Barking can receive goods from the UK or the Continent via the Channel Tunnel."
Meanwhile, the MII logistics centre, which is near Chigwell, has the capacity to handle 90 trucks per hour and offers an alternative point for inbound traffic arriving from the North and West. It is situated half-a-mile south of Junction 5 of the Mll and is mainly used for vehicles delivering to the North Plaza in the Olympic Park.
A range of security procedures are in place at the two centres, including CCI'V coverage, barrier entry systems, vehicle security checks, alarmed perimeter fencing and 24-hour security patrols.
The road links to both centres offer access to all sizes of vehicles, materials and machinery.
"We can remove waste, excess materials and any machinery no longer needed," says Shortis. "If a job is delayed or called oft the excess materials can be sent to an alternative destination or returned to the source location."
The contract will run until June 2011, but might be extended beyond that if necessary.
This will ensure the sites in which the Olympic Games are to be staged should be ready for the cream of the world's athletes come August 2012. •