LOGISTICS
“ Everyone thought the pandemic would slow things down ,” says Jeffery , “ but supply chains have had to grow because no one could go anywhere to get anything .
“ Our solution has real appeal because it can scale without an issue . Businesses just add more devices to the back end .”
Devices such as ruggedised handsets used by thousands of couriers on the doorsteps , or by hundreds of pickers in a single warehouse or depot .
But what if 1,000 pickers ’ devices in a warehouse were suddenly dogged by problems , say from a faulty component ? Wouldn ’ t that bring the warehouse to a halt ?
“ No ,” says Jeffery , “ because our software can be deployed on a user ' s Android phone . Battery life wouldn ’ t be as good but the user experience would be the same .”
Jeffery knows better than most just how important supply chain agility is , particularly in warehouse and depot settings .
Back in 2005 , when he was head of IT at Gist - a supply chain transformation service - the company ’ s Hemel Hempstead depot was rocked by the largest explosion in the UK since the Second World War , when the nearby Buncefield Fuel Depot went up .
Jeffery says : “ The roof of our depot was lifted up by about six inches and people were pinned against the wall by the force of the blast .”
In a single moment , a facility that serviced most of the Marks & Spencer and Starbucks outlets within the M25 was out of action . Yet in a single day Gist managed to push all that volume out to its Thatcham and Faversham depots .
“ Plans were in place ,” says Jeffery . They have to be when you ’ re situated next to a fuel depot .”
The comment sums up unknown risk nicely . Yes , it may be unknown , but it is not unknowable . supplychaindigital . com 67