You need to be able to adapt to thrive in the business world. No industry reflects this hard fact more than logistics. Enterprises spanning multiple industries need to keep abreast of new ways of working and the latest technology trends – without this insight, outdated operations will eventually grind productivity down.
When Galipo Foods began its working relationship with Cohesio, it was turning over around $45 million annually. Working through paper-based operations, including in ordering, picking and stock take, the business was reaching peak efficiency – for what they were using.
Seven years later, Galipo now makes $110 million every year using Cohesio-designed warehouse execution software and voice-activated solutions for streamlined productivity.
“This enterprise partnership has been one of our greatest successes, with more opportunities for automated operational growth on the horizon,” says Nathan Narayanan, General Manager for Galipo Foods.
Improving operations on more than paper
Current Head of Innovation, Rizan Mawzoon engaged Galipo through a past working relationship. “We started talking to Cohesio Group about potential solutions that could help streamline operational processes while expanding production,” added Nathan. Galipo had toyed with the idea of switching from paper in the past but hadn’t found a partner who could help them make the leap.
But the bureaucracy and inefficiency of strictly paper-driven operations were beginning to become too great a hindrance. With paper, Galipo found their limitations in:
• Increased likelihood of human error from misreading data sheets. Additionally, any attempts to address these issues usually ended with increased printing costs.
• The operational cost of paper and printing, which was becoming an increasingly glaring and unneeded cost for the business.
• Less effective stock take, ordering and item picking. This came from having incomplete data to hand with a limited paper system.
These ineffective components of paper-based work meant Galipo had to make a change.
Implementing automated change
In 2011 Galipo Foods began consultation to find a warehouse execution system that would suit their operations.
Their unique structure meant the enterprise system needed to be service- and customer driven, not locked into a rigid set of protocols.
So, in 2014, Cohesio Group went back to the drawing board and designed a bespoke system framework that was mapped onto existing operational processes and optimised to include cutting-edge voice technology.
The impact was instantaneous. This initial bespoke solution is now a staple solution for Cohesio Group. Gone was the risk of human error in misinterpreting datasets or misplacing records. Cohesio’s software digitised the warehouse execution system process seamlessly, storing all data in an easy-to-access portal. The voice-activated technology, meanwhile, enabled Galipo employees to access any operational data needed instantly, hands-free. This saved a great deal of time when picking items for delivery and conducting stock audits.
With these voice-activated changes up and running, Galipo’s operations have gone from strength to strength. Over the last four years, the organisation has seen internal business errors dip from around 5 per cent across the supply chain to just 2 per cent. This has dropped the business well below the industry average for operational errors and represents tens of thousands in savings year-to-year. This efficiency has been reinvested into the enterprise, with warehouse productivity and stock turnover doubling without any additional hires.
But Cohesio’s in-house developed software and voice-activated automation have done more than just improve Galipo’s way of working. It helps the organisation stay competitive as South Australia’s largest food service distributor that is still locally owned and operated. Cohesio has also helped Galipo maintain high standards of service over the last near-half decade. The organisation was voted the Number One Foodservice Distributor nationwide in 2014, 2016 and 2017 by the Foodservice Suppliers Association of Australia. Voice technology as key to these successes.
The Cohesio team is thrilled to have helped Galipo Foods expand over the last few years, and looks forward to implementing more automation and supply chain solutions.