Norbert wins pipe distribution deal
Norbert Dentressangle has won a five-year, £-multi-million contract with specialist polyethylenepipe producer, Radius Systems, to handle the distribution of its products in the UK.
Radius Systems provides a range of pipe solutions.
Norbert Dentressangle has been appointed to manage deliveries from the company’s UK production facility at South Normanton in Derbyshire, based on a flexible distribution model, which can manage fluctuations in production volumes to meet customer demand.
The Red Inside dedicated service will involve distribution across 30 routes on a daily basis using a fleet of over 20 vehicles with lorry-mounted cranes. Orders are mainly despatched to RDCs (regional distribution centres) for gas and water utility companies, and supported by specific site deliveries for roadside works and infrastructure projects where extensive pipework is required.
Norbert Dentressangle has already made changes to the delivery schedule to allow more efficient load consolidation and will be seeking opportunities to improve fleet utilisation via backhauling.
Using the latest track and trace technology, Radius Systems has real-time visibility and status reporting of all order collections and deliveries via a mobile smartphone application. The automated supply chain execution solution integrates with Norbert Dentressangle’s transport management system to provide a seamless flow of data.
Graham Thurlow, Chief Operating Officer at Radius Systems, said:”We quickly recognised during pre-contract negotiations, that we would be embarking on a partnership with a team of people who really understood what we needed and knew what they were doing.
“We realise that the nature of our product offering and the complexity of our network makes our distribution operation a significant challenge for any third party provider, and to Norbert Dentressangle’s merit, they are meeting this challenge, which is testimony to the good working relationships that have been established between the teams.
“We are working closely with Norbert Dentressangle to re-evaluate our transport and distribution operation to further enhance our customer service levels and significant challenges remain. Our common aim is to continually develop more efficient working practices, improve our communication, whilst upholding high health and safety standards. Since contract inception that partnership has been progressive and constructive and we are confident that we can continue to move our logistics function forward, with the right support from the Norbert Dentressangle team.”
