DB Schenker keeps A-SAFE’s operations on track during facility construction

A two-year contract with DB Schenker has enabled A-SAFE, the world’s leading maker of polymer safety barriers, bollards and gates to set up its new state-ofthe- art automated facility at Elland, near Halifax, with zero service disruption. A-SAFE design and manufacture all their products in the UK and are a global leader in workplace safety.

The company has local subsidiaries in 16 countries and trusted partners in 30 more, spanning six continents. With the ongoing growth of its product range, there was a need for a new and larger facility at Elland while still maintaining production levels on the existing site.

While the state-of-the-art facility is being constructed on land to the rear of the existing site, DB Schenker’s land team has ensured constant flow of supplies from A-SAFE’s remote warehouse three miles away.

Charlotte Henbest, DB Schenker’s Business Development Manager says: “Put simply, A-SAFE has limited space in its current facility and a lot of freight to get out, so we have been operating a drop-trailer scenario for them during this time. We’ve taken away the logistics headaches and soon as they fill one trailer, we deliver an empty one. This happens 3 or 4 times a day, 6 days a week covering some 5,859 consignments which has enabled them to maintain their worldleading status while the new building is constructed”.

Goods arriving at the remote warehouse may require Customs clearance by the DB Schenker team while items coming out of the factory, which may arrive on 40ft trucks as system freight, less-than-trailer loads (LTL) or full trailer loads (FTL) are all are sorted immediately and sent for onwards distribution within the UK or overseas.

“We are delighted to have been able to support A-SAFE in expediting its operations while the new facility has been under construction. All the while there have been growing volumes as production ramps up at that new plant, we have maintained a consistent flow of goods and prevented any logistics bottlenecks. By introducing a 24/7 EDI between them and us we have been able to successfully deliver a transparent and workable solution to A-SAFE,” says DB Schenker’s UK Chief Commercial Officer, Julie Heard.

Adds A-SAFE’s Director of Operations, Nikki Speak: “Delivering world-class customer service is vital for us, and the partnership with DB Schenker has enabled us to grow and develop our facilities to ready us for the next stage of growth without any impact to our level of service to our current customers. The team have been highly supportive and have made this process much easier than it would have been.”