Article
On time, or not, that is the question
In many ways, logistics is like a theatre show, particularly when we think about operational and transport planning. Paddy MacBrant explains why.
Naomi Harryman-Hassan
I started my career in logistics with the Morrisons Graduate Scheme after completing my law degree. Both disciplines are grounded in analytics and critical reasoning, and demand an attention to detail which I have continued to develop. My roles in logistics since, both operational and strategic, have built experience of not just planning and implementing change but also the affect that it has upon operations and the people who work in them.
Keeping in mind the impact on end-end operations and the people who work with them
I started my career in logistics with the Morrisons Graduate Scheme after completing my law degree. Both disciplines are grounded in analytics and critical reasoning, and demand an attention to detail which I have continued to develop. My roles in logistics since, both operational and strategic, have built experience of not just planning and implementing change but also the affect that it has upon operations and the people who work in them.
Recent experience includes:
- On the day that the UK went into lockdown for COVID-19, I moved 200 miles from home to support the immediate execution of a dedicated PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) supply channel for the NHS, stood up to meet the urgent volume requirements for core PPE items. I led the reporting and communication workstream on-site, developing a comprehensive reporting suite to provide transparent operational information to stakeholders.
- In 2019 I led a three-pronged approach to review logistics spend for a global confectionery manufacturer based in America, assessing network strategy, 3PL contracting and leading a deep-dive into daily operations at their flagship site. I identified savings opportunities totalling over $180 million per annum and built an implementation plan prioritising low-capex, high return activity.
- I owned the logistics network direct labour plan for peak for one of the Top 4 supermarkets in the UK, including building and rolling out a labour forecasting tool which ultimately supported a 64% reduction in national spend on warehouse labour overtime.
- Following the immediate closure of Palmer & Harvey fulfilment centres, I supported the overnight execution of a contingency plan for deliveries into the Morrisons Daily forecourts. Mobilising stakeholders in a high-pressure environment, I struck a delicate balance between building a robust, operationally viable process and responding to the urgent need of the individual franchisees.
It's really powerful how small changes and tweaks to an established process can have significant impact - pronounced improvement doesn't always require significant upheaval
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