SUPPLY CHAIN

Structure and services

The SUPPLY CHAIN Division is divided into two business units:

• Supply Chain: Providing warehousing and warehouse transport services as well as value-added solutions along the entire supply chain for customers from a wide variety of sectors.
• Williams Lea: Providing customised solutions for both digital and print information, ranging from drafting and printing communications materials to outsourcing business processes.

Services of Supply Chain

In 65 countries all over the world the division focuses on customer-orientated solutions along the entire supply chain providing warehousing, distribution and transport. Our business is split into the sectors: retail & fashion, consumer goods, technology, healthcare, automotive, chemicals/industry.

We have long-standing business relationships with our customers in most mature markets, often going back for more than 20 years. Our success rests on understanding the individual needs of our customers and offering them solutions that add value to their business. In 2008 we signed new contracts worth €1.1 billion. The renewal rate for contracts remained constant at more than 90%.

• Retail & fashion and consumer  goods industries

In these sectors, customers need highly flexible supply chains that allow them to react quickly to market trends. We operate warehouses, provide packaging services and manage transportation networks all the way from the source of supply to retail shelves.

• Healthcare

Here it is necessary to keep a constant eye on inventories and provide high levels of product visibility along each step of the supply chain - not least to meet the numerous regulatory requirements. We therefore provide a strictly controlled environment consisting of purpose-built, highly-secure facilities strategically located throughout the world. The logistical challenge of the technology sector lies in ever shorter product life cycles, which necessitate quick changes in production and distribution locations. Our offering comprises inbound to manufacturing logistics, distribution and warehousing, assembly and returns logistics. We also generate economies of scale for our customers with the help of shared-user warehouses and hubs.

• Automotive

The automotive industry demands efficient and co-ordinated supply chains in order to ensure that components are delivered on time across the globe. We provide this service for many prominent automotive suppliers in all major markets where we operate. Considering the fact that this industry is currently suffering, we are working even harder with most of our key customer to further optimise supply chains and thereby reduce costs.