Changing Distribution Path
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rHANGES in the organization of the ‘.." retail trades and the supply and wholesale systems behind them are increasingly affecting distribution methods; such changes might" snowball,and transport executives must keep their ideas flexible and their distribution machine adaptable. That was the key message of Mr. Martin Brown, a director of S.P.D., Ltd., when he addressed the Southampton area of the Traders Road Transport Association last week.
With supermarkets. co-operatives. voluntary groups of retailers buying together, multiples and chain stores, selling is being concentrated into fewer outlets. Mr. Brown gave examples of bow his own organization has been meeting this trend, and how palletization has been developed in conjunction with an increasing number of vans designed specifically to accept rapid loading of small items that have been "bulked " into composite loads.
These vans, built to the full legal width, have extra-wide doors opening over almost the full depth of the body, and strengthened floors; six-pallet and eightpallet vans are used. A lightweight bridge plate, for easy single-handed working, is employed. Drivers may make 40, 50 or more deliveries a day in any combination or permutation of over 800 packs, and by bulk pre-assemb4 and-pallet-handling, van loadin kept to 20/25 minutes by one compared with a normal 45 hand-loading by two men.
In handling Unilever deliverit have the advantage of their (al housing depots, and Mr. emphasized how valuable this i cient organization of load plan office routine.