Moving goods from one place to another is big business for APL Logistics, a leading provider of global supply chain logistics. The company’s Oceanic arm is led by Managing Director Mark Haslam, who is currently situated in Sydney.
Today, APL Logistics’ supply chain services include international freight, end-to-end order management, origin services, trade compliance, warehousing, logistics engineering and solution design, hub services, and supply chain technology solutions. At the heart of its offering is a global cross-functional ability to
manage customers’ orders from origin all the way to final destination via a strong global network,
encompassing over 7,000 employees, at 260 locations in 60 countries.
Since joining APL Logistics 14 years ago, Mark’s focuses have been centred on serving existing global accounts, with priorities on further developing its international freight business, as well as the building of a local network to complement its existing market-leading origin services.
Mark says, “Our aim at APL Logistics is to enable our customers to outperform their markets through reliable and innovative supply chain solutions. We see ourselves as the preferred leading logistics provider.”
APL Logistics currently provides innovative, global supply chain solutions across the retail, consumer, industrial and automotive markets, in addition to maintaining its longstanding relationships with strategic customers. “These are segments where we have an established presence, an existing network and infrastructure to leverage growth globally.
“The success of APL Logistics can be attributed to the company’s solution-orientated approach, in which results are tailored to meet the individual needs of our customers,” Mark comments.
The relationships that APL Logistics builds and maintains, both within the industry and with its customers, are vital to the success of the business. “The glue that holds our industry together is a spider web of relationships we have formed with our team, customers, suppliers, associations and networking peers. It’s my experience that these relationships quickly turn into friendships,” Mark says.
He feels that a number of challenges will become increasingly prevalent within the industry over the coming years. Most notably, the connection between supply chain management and customers. Such developments open the industry to new offerings for end-to-end order management, inventory flow and placement options, providing end consumers with a seamless shopping experience.
He also notes the growing importance of managing large data presence, leveraging on visual technology as a tool to help manage complex global supply chains, and ensuring optimisation of inventory management while efficiently meeting the ever-changing demands of customers.
The main focus areas to a world-class supply chain include enabling speed and flexibility of inventory flow, a strong understanding of cost to serve and service deliverables like DIFOT. This ensures correct product placement, reducing dead inventory, which traditionally results in the reduction of the sales price. “We’re increasing our customers’ sales through better product flow,” he adds.
“We’re increasing our customers’ sales through better product flow.”
Being acutely aware of the environmental impact of its business operations, APL Logistics has implemented a number of tools to aid in its management, including the early adoption of Lean and 5S as its productivity and continuous improvement methodology framework.
“We aim to further improve work processes by identifying and eliminating wastes within our business. To be successful, we have to evolve our mindset and constantly find new ways of doing things better,” Mark says. He feels that the company’s drive towards greater efficiency will help to deliver greater operating results.
APL Logistics has already been applying these principles for some years now within their employees’ daily work. They are starting to see tangible results in increased productivity, as well as a reduction in operating costs and waste.
“I’ve been in this industry for 28 years and I love what I am doing,” says Mark. “I’m well supported by a strong team and an organisation that empowers us to deliver great customer service and good work ethics.
I am lucky, as my role allows me to explore many other different industries and supply chain, giving me the opportunity to continue to learn and grow with our existing and potential customers.” He believes that fostering a proactive, solution-seeking culture is the key to the success of the company.
The goods handled by APL Logistics Oceania seem to be heading in the right direction. As does the company itself.
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