• The first Temperature Controlled Storage and Distribution Conference was
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held in conjunction with the TCS&D show in Manchester on 5 November. The conference addressed the problems of a changing industry that is having to cater for an increasing demand for fresh produce.
The conference was chaired by Andrew Sera, who is the principle surveyor at the Refrigeration Department of Lloyds Register of Shipping. His opening remarks drew attention to the increasing specialisation in the industry which is leading to great advances in cost effectiveness.
The first paper was presented by Frank Hawkins, marketing and sales director of Hays Distribution Services, in place of David Winkworth, who was unable to attend. He attributed a quarter of the purchase price of any item to distribution, with up to 40% of all goods passing through centralised distribution points.
Describing the reasons why outside contractors are being increasingly used for distribution services, he quoted David Quarniby of Sainsbury, who said "we get a better return on the pounds we spend in developing supermarkets than we do on money we put into warehouses". After discussing the use of distribution contractors, he made the distinction between consolidated distribution, where produce from different customers is mixed on one truck; and dedicated distribution, where a total fleet, liveried or not, is put at the disposal of one customer.
Hawkins continued to explain the advantages of the multi-temperature distribution vehicle, which can deliver frozen, chilled and ambient-temperature goods. with a growth in the demand for chilled products, he concluded that the "future of effective merchandising, lies in composite distribution". He defines the aim of the distribution contractor as maintaining the quality of foodstuffs and meeting delivery times.
John Lynch of Littlewoods, which uses a third-party transport contractor, pointed out the temperature problems posed by horticulture, which illustrated how specific the contractor has to be in meeting the demands of the customer.
The second paper was presented by Tim Notley, business development manager of Christian Salvesen (food services), who spoke about coldand chill-storage operation. Having put the necessities of distribution in order of priority — people, systems, sheds and lorries — he went on to say that computer-aided storage systems are now vital.
Flexibility and close co-operation with the customer and his business was described as the only method of keeping up with constantly changing demands. As the contractor has the experience, the responses to the customer's requirements