Supply chain specialist TDG has formed a new strategic partnership with Wilson James, the construction logistics provider. Conservative estimates suggest that the UK construction industry could achieve efficiencies in excess of £250 million by rationalising their approach to logistics, but transferring best practice from retail and manufacturing is a highly complex task. This partnership will bridge the knowledge gap by combining TDG s leading-edge Fourth Party Logistics (4PL) capability with Wilson James s expertise in construction consolidation centres and site logistics.
TDG already works with more than two hundred hauliers on behalf of Corus and Aggregate Industries and its 4PL approach has led to massive savings with the elimination of a million miles worth of unnecessary journeys each year.
We want to replicate a similar step change in the construction sector, says Mike Branigan, CEO at TDG. 4PL is the ideal methodology for construction, because it works by synchronising logistic solutions across different organisations within the supply chain.
Wilson James deliver savings and environmental benefits through their pioneering approach to construction logistics, which has been deployed on major projects such as Heathrow Terminal 5 and Bart s Hospital. They are experts in adapting proven logistics solutions from other industries to meet the needs of the construction sector. Their consolidation centres deliver programme certainty to projects which would otherwise be vulnerable to delays. Combined with the focused handling of material deliveries and waste removal, the efficient flow of construction goods from a supplier to the building project workface is optimised, taking goods onto site on a just in time basis.
Our experience is in supporting construction in demanding operational environments such as central London, says Gary Sullivan, managing director of Wilson James. We ve proved that by smoothing the flow of materials over the last few miles to the work-face, we reduce project costs, risk and congestion. This also improves the carbon footprint of a project. Through TDG, we now have an opportunity to apply the same rigour to the rest of the supply chain.
TDG and Wilson James will maximise the efficiency of the pre-consolidation supply chain to give the first end to end construction logistics solution.
Our centralised system creates a live window on logistics throughout the UK, explained Mike Branigan. We currently use the information and tools to ensure optimum transport plans are created to reduce cost, improve service and give considerable environmental benefits. Working with Wilson James will allow TDG to expand this solution to more suppliers and determine the optimum method to deliver either direct into construction sites or through a consolidation centre .