In 2007 Mark Ryman from Gates spent 24 hours following an FPS Gates order from placement to Delivery. Over 24 hours Mark experienced the full FPS process from the order being placed in the sales office, picked, packed and delivered. Below is Mark’s step by step encounter of the full FPS service.
On the 22nd March 2007, I had the pleasure of working 24 hours with FPS, at their new state of the art warehouse facility based in Sheffield.The building recently finished and stocked contains 65,000 thousand lines of products on three floors totalling 130,000 square ft, with considerably more room for future growth.
My aim, for the day was to follow a Gates WD order from receipt from customer through the construction of a picking list, the product being physically picked, then packed and eventuallydelivered to an FPS branch in the UK before delivery to factor next morning.
12.00 Midday: As the day was designed to show all aspects of the stocking, despatch and delivery of Gates products from Sheffield, it was only fair, as product had been delivered that morning from Belgium to see how product is allocated shelf space and experience the stocking of this product.The product is first collated by pallet number order and product and is then moved via fork lift truck to the second floor.We set about unpacking and merchandising our first pallet of MVXF and MV belts.Back on the ground floor some of the PowerGrip Kits were destined for another location in Bulk Storage.
To store in this way a very special pallet truck is required and FPS use a Jungheinrich EKX513 VNA that the operator controls from a standing platform that moves up and down with the forks, the arms of the forks are moveable from left to right and pallets are delivered to their location in this way.
1.00p.m.:Introduced to Shane Milnes, Shane looks after booking of all Gates product orders whether WDS or Branch or internal, he has a wealth of experience having worked for 22 years in the industry,7 years with FPS. Our chosen order came in shortly after our introduction, 14 lines, all Gates products from Welsh Autoparts, the order was processed andsent to the picking printer on floor two in the warehouse.
1.30p.m.: Back on second floor, a stock order had been received and was ready to hand over for picking, we took a trolley for this exercise and worked by part number from shelf location to shelf location until the total order was complete. The order was then transferred from the trolley to a red tote box, specifically designed for use on the two story high conveyor belt that moves all products down to the scanning, checking and packaging area.
1.45p.m.: On the ground floor our order had arrived via conveyor at the desk of Wayne Day, Wayne explained the use of the Bar Code scanner and its accuracy for checking completeness of order and effectiveness at minimising the risk of incorrect picks, all product in red tote box is scanned before being packaged in cardboard outer cartons. On completion of packing of the order a customer address label is produced and Wayne initials his with WD before inserting paperwork and then sealing the box.
The box was then taken to the holding area in despatch where a back to back collapsible pallet with Cardiff printed on was waiting. The box was carefully placed in the pallet along with other orders and product.
So, in a short time, our order had been placed, picked, packed and made ready for despatch.
The afternoon went very quickly, shifts changed at 6.00p.m. and a new, fresh faced team arrived for the picking of Depot orders, a massive 12,000 lines were picked on the evening that I was there, and the orders for tonight's despatch were picked and packed on pallets ready for delivery, with great precision, accuracy and speed.
9.30p.m.: I was given the job of loading the Cardiff and Bristol truck that would be taking our parcel and me on to further destinations.
12.00 midnight: Yorkie Bars at the ready, I was introduced to Mark Wilson, driver of the biggest, greenest, Scania Truck I have ever seen, painted in the unmistakeable FPS colours. Our journey this evening was to take us from Sheffield to Bristol and Cardiff before returning to Sheffield some time around 10.30. The truck loaded with 16 pallets of product is one of 7 that FPS run overnight and during the day to deliver WDS and FPS branch stock around the country. the trucks leave the site at set times based on criteria such as depot opening times, distance of journey, site locations, route planning and what quickly became apparent on our journey.
3.30a.m.: We arrived at Bristol depot, and Mark reversed the truck onto the forecourt in front of the building, the tachograph was switched to rest and Mark took his first break of the night. At 4.15p.m. Rob, the gentleman tasked with opening the depot arrived and raised the shutter doors enabling us to unload the truck of its valuable cargo...
today's South West WDS orders!
4.30a.m.: Truck unloaded of stock and reloaded with collapsible pallets from the previous days drop, we left for South Wales and the Cardiff depot.
5.38a.m.: We arrived outside Cardiff depot, it was apparent at this stage that the well oiled machine that is FPS and the accuracy that many factors have told me about. Mark explained that at 5.55a.m. the gentleman tasked with opening Cardiff would arrive, music playing from his vehicle at some decibles, and would open up, our truck would not move until the shutter door opened which would be 6.23a.m. Do you know what...we heard the music first and and the door opened at 6.23am!
We unloaded the truck and again reloaded with yesterday's collapsible pallets and set off on our journey back at 6.38a.m. Due to timings, Mark had taken enough breaks to enable a continuous drive back to Sheffield.
10.30a.m.: It was the end of my 24hr shift, we pulled into the site at Sheffield, Mark drove the truck into the yard and straight to the on site fuel stop to refill with diesel, in preparation for the next delivery, the truck was then parked, back doors open, against the loading bay.
My day had been fantastic, a real eye opener and something that I will never forget, the service that FPS offer in the UK is very smooth in terms of logistics and delivery, it is also very personal with the staff that are involved, and I have to say, second to none in terms of getting the parts to the customer.
I would like to say a personal thank you to all involved for initially entertaining this idea and then allowing it to happen, and, on site at Sheffield, all the guys that allowed me to work with them.
Oh, one more thing, the box that I picked, was delivered to the customer in Newport before 9.30 on the Friday morning, one hour before we got back, and only 20 hours after receipt...that, ladies and gentlemen, is how Ferraris Piston Services do that!!
Mark Ryman