Successful kitting and other 3PL solutions for the public sector
3PL logistics brings clarity, structure and achievable results within reach for public sector organisations. It’s a specialist role filled by a supply chain partner that designs the delivery plan with you and sits at the centre of operations to make sure it happens.
Projects are diverse but they incorporate workflows for despatch, replenishment and collection. This often includes 3PL solutions like kitting, barcoding, warehousing, inventory management, and tracking items and assets.
3PL logistics brings clarity, structure and achievable results within reach for public sector organisations.
Let’s take a deeper look at how your logistics partner facilitates excellent project outcomes that satisfy procurement and budgetary needs.
Snapshot – 3PL and the largest ever UK Census
What may seem like an impossibly complex task on paper was planned and carried out by Granby and the Office for National Statistics, the body responsible for the Census in England and Wales.
- 97% completed on time, in full
- 52,000,000 items into Granby
- 2,800+ pallets of stock held in warehouse
- 22,000,000 items collated into kits
- 85,000 items despatched
- 21,000 delivery stops
- 269,725 delivery miles
- Zero items sent to landfill
The 2021 Census was the largest on record and shows the capabilities of efficient 3PL solutions – a large national project with complexity and dependencies. The ONS started to publish findings from the 2021 Census in June 2022.
The pressures on public sector procurement
Public sector spending is under pressure in a post-austerity, post-Brexit, post-pandemic landscape to:
- Spend budgets efficiently
- Added value/Social Value
- Work with experienced, accredited SMEs
In meeting the requirements of the Social Value Framework, procurement is hyper focused on spending budgets well and ensuring they add long-term value. It’s increasingly critical to engage a 3PL supplier who, like Granby, has a Social Value policy in place.
Other challenges
Examples of challenges that public sector organisations face over logistics and warehousing include:
- Ability to track assets and resources effectively
- Modifying processes for unique projects
- Managing digital devices
- Risk and compliance management
- Mapping workflows and data
- Mobile connectivity
- Project management tools that can be tailored to requirements
- Auditability and transparency
Of these, asset tracking of high value items like mobile phones, laptops and so on is a big concern.
How 3PL solves these pain points – some examples
The Office For National Statistics 2021 Census project summary (above) shows how complex a project can be – field teams comprising thousands of field agents, laden with thousands of laptops, mobiles, confidential Census forms and other paperwork…
Good 3PL is a combination of people power and technology.
- From design to despatch and collection, our people knew what they were doing at all times through experience, good internal communications and investment in training.
- We invest heavily in the development of our fulfilment system and warehouse management system. Our technology is a robust framework that supports timescales, budgets and risk management as well as business intelligence and customer data.
Granby possesses:
- ISO 27001 secure data management
- Cyber Essentials accreditation or equivalent
- Carbon reduction policy (CRP)
As a 3PL supplier of UK and international storage (warehousing) and transportation, we provide, among other things:
- Kitting and fulfilment solutions/services
- Transport and distribution
- Specialist collection and delivery services
- Packaging including cardboard, security and medical
- Recycling and disposal services
- Dispersal and recycling services
- Print services
Takeaways
- Budgets and Social value add weight to already pressured public sector procurement processes
- A 3PL partner that has Social Value policies and accreditations is crucial
If you need kitting, warehousing or any other 3PL service , please get in touch – we’ll be happy to give you a demo of our technology and talk over your requirements.
Photo by Benjamin Elliott on Unsplash
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