Industry leaders gathered last week for the Hermes Retail Week Supply Chain Awards, celebrating the best and most innovative projects in this vital field of work.

A retailer’s supply chain is a vital artery that feeds success, and getting the complex web of logistics right continues to test supply chain professionals.

Under the current economic pressures, and faced with the continuing rise of digital business, supply chain directors are constantly called on to find efficiencies, minimise risk and deliver quicker and more efficiently – with ever tighter margins.

But as demands continue to mount, the importance of the supply chain has also gained prominence, and supply chain directors increasingly sit at the strategy table.

This year’s Hermes Retail Week Supply Chain Awards, which took place at London’s Grosvenor House hotel last week, hosted by comedian Simon Evans, celebrated an impressive range of projects, and the winners represented admirable solutions to unique challenges.

The awards also recognised those that strive to change the status quo – whether through increasing collaboration between retailers or suppliers or through ground-breaking innovations.

Yusen Logistics Distribution Development of the Year

Winner: Boots with KNAPP

Over the past year Boots UK rolled out a new fulfilment operation for its Boots.com business, consolidating it into its Burton-on-Trent distribution centre and automating the processes and product flows. The new system was designed to accommodate significant planned growth, with the initial installation providing capacity until 2017.

The judges said: “The winner is a complex, well-planned and well-executed project that represents a bold step by the retailer.” 

Gazeley Green Supply Chain Initiative of the Year

Winner: The Crown Estate with Clipper Logistics Group, Freight Consolidation Centres

Clipper Logistics applied its Freight Consolidation Centres project, which helps to consolidate multiple retailers’ product deliveries in congested areas in central London, in collaboration with The Crown Estate, owner of Regent Street, consultant Arup, the University of Westminster and Transport for London.

The judges said: “This tackled one of the most difficult supply chain management challenges – bringing together different parties to work successfully with each other.”

DHL Online Fulfilment Initiative of the Year

Winner: Aurora Fashions and Karen Millen with Shutl, 90-minute delivery

Highly commended: Jokers’ Masquerade with ByBox, click-and-collect

Aurora Fashions used Shutl’s Now delivery service to offer customers 90-minute delivery slots. The retailer integrated Shutl with its inventory management system and successfully rolled out the service across the UK over the past year.

The judges said: “The winner developed a service that is very customer-centric and clearly works. In addition, it is driving a new area of focus within the wider retail industry and behavioural change across organisations.”

Retail week Transport Initiative of the Year

Winner: Iceland Foods with DHL Supply Chain, Driver Information Terminal

The grocer pioneered the use of the paperless driver information terminal to improve transport safety. The touch-screen terminal allows drivers to access training and other manuals, and has reduced accidents significantly over the first year.

The judges said: “The winning initiative appealed for its innovation and for bringing something truly new to the industry.”

Clipper Logistics Group Supply Chain Technology

Winner: Londis Stores with Musgrave Retail Partners GB, Londis Webshop

Highly commended: B&Q, Clover@B&Q

Londis rolled out a web-based ordering system for its retailers to reduce cost, save paper and make their ordering process more efficient.

The judges said: “The application of this technology represents a significant step forward by the retailer, helping its stores gain efficiency and achieve a competitive edge in a challenging field”.

BiS Henderson Third-Party Logistics Provider of The Year

Winner: Gist for food retailers Eat and Starbucks

Gist consolidated the warehouse operations for Starbucks and Eat to merge multiple category streams that previously necessitated several different delivery vehicles.

The judges said: “We admired this project’s innovation and creativity in forming a true partnership with its retail client.”

Retail Week Supply Chain Project of the Year

Winner: The Co-operative with Tata Consultancy Services, Smart

This project rolled out over a number of years, transforming the retailer’s supply chain through changes to stock replenishment systems and processes.

It started in September 2011, incorporating the entire supply chain network of 16 distribution centres, serving 3,000 stores.

The judges said: “The winner is a transformational project and demonstrates true end-to-end supply chain change.”

Hermes Multichannel Project of the Year

Winner: Wickes, Wickes National Delivery Service

Highly commended: Buyaparcel.com with Intact Software

The retailer developed a national home delivery service in response to the rise of multichannel. It designed a ‘hub and spoke’ model, setting delivery operations at central stores that also fulfilled deliveries for several ‘spoke’ stores.

The judges said: “This was a standout winning entry. It is a truly multichannel project that transformed the company.”

Ligentia Supply Chain Team of the Year

Winner: Iceland Foods

The supply chain team of 50 individuals has a collective 720 years of experience and continues to innovate as Iceland’s home delivery service is incorporated into the supply chain department.

The judges said: “We were impressed by the passion shown by the winning team, as well as evidence of its quiet and un-showy efficiency. This team’s entry ticked all the criteria boxes.”

Damco Global Supply Chain Project of the Year

Winner: Nike Russia (collected by Retail Week’s Rebecca Thomson)

Entries for this award were nominated and judged by the Retail Week editorial team.  The Nike Russia team tackled the considerable challenges of a vast regional supply chain, developing best practices that were rolled out across the business.

The judges said: “Nike Russia impressed with its fast and effective response to the global recession. It tackled the unique challenges of its region, improving supply chain flexibility and boosting sales with its proactive approach.”

Norbert Dentressangle Supply Chain Leader of the year

Winner: Robin Proctor, group supply chain director, Travis Perkins

Robin Proctor was awarded for his long track record of consistent achievement in the supply chain industry.

The judges said: “This individual is a born-and-bred retail supply chain leader. The winner has delivered unique and outstanding results in a considered and humble manner, and continues to drive innovation.”

Hermes Grand Prix

Winner: Wickes

The home improvement retailer took home the overall winners’ award for its National Delivery Service project.

The judges said: “We awarded the overall prize to a transformative project that achieved an impressive customer response in a challenging sector – truly fantastic.”