Logistics systems integrator SDI Greenstone has established a dedicated subsidiary company to serve the growing markets in Spain and Portugal.
SDI Industries Iberia, based near Barcelona, will provide a comprehensive service to handle all aspects of the creation of powerful and cost-efficient systems to store, transport and sort merchandise. The new company offers extensive experience and expertise in the specialist field of retail fashion logistics.
The core elements in SDI Iberia’s operations constitute an exhaustive ‘start to finish’ service, from initial consultancy , through design, build and installation, to training and life-time maintenance (including web-based ‘e-maintenance’). This applies to not just the system itself, whether it is manual, semi-automated or fully automated. It also covers all the ancillaries required to create, from scratch, today’s high throughput distribution centre. These include civil works, planning submissions, fire and security systems and health and safety issues. SDI Greenstone claims that very few other logistics systems integrators have the capability to offer such a truly comprehensive ‘turnkey’ service.
Since setting up only a few years ago, UK-based SDI Greenstone has become recognised as one of Europe’s most accomplished logistics systems integrators, with existing subsidiaries already established in France and Italy. SDI Greenstone recently acquired Promech, Dutch suppliers of automated sortation systems, and the new company – SDI Promech – becomes the European centre for research and development and system fabrication, with particular emphasis on advanced robotics. SDI Iberia and SDI Promech will be working closely together on the development, and on-going maintenance, of systems for the Iberian logistics sector.
As part of the multi-national SDI group SDI Iberia will also call on considerable global resources. SDI Industries, based in California, is the world’s leading supplier of advanced conveying and sortation systems – including bespoke control software - for the logistics and distribution industries, with hundreds of successful installations in numerous countries.
Kees Frowein has been appointed as Director of the new subsidiary. Before joining SDI Iberia Mr Frowein was Director of Business Development with TNT Logistics, Spain.
“TNT has worked with SDI on several installations throughout Europe,” he reports. “SDI has earned a reputation for highly creative cost-effective solutions, employing premium-quality engineering and practical, user-friendly, software systems. The company also demonstrates a partnership-based approach to business, and a remarkable work ethic.
“SDI Industries Iberia is now committed to extending the group’s value-added services into the growing Iberian retail distribution market.”
SDI customers in Europe include:
• Armand Thierry
• ASDA (Wallmart)
• Benetton
• Brunotti
• Burberry
• Caterpillar
• Etam
• The Gap
• M&S Mode
• Matalan
• Promod
• Reebok
• TK Maxx
SDI Industries Iberia is already working on three major sortation system installations in Spain, for Fnac, Hansen & Cawley logistics and Sara Lee (Playtex).