SITUATION
Chelsea Sugar is one of New Zealand’s most iconic brands and over its 130-year history it has established itself as the country’s leading producer and exporter of sugar products.
From its factory – a landmark building located in Birkenhead on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour – it produces 140 different sugar products. While there is substantial warehouse storage the high volume of sugar and products manufactured daily requires large scale additional container storage on site.
“Sugar is sugar,” says Logistics Manager Jason Midgley, “but we produce 1000 tonnes of sugar each day and have 140 different product skews. That’s a lot of sugar.
“For the cost of a Royal Wolf box, their containers are a reasonable and highly efficient way to enable us to manage product with challenges such as seasonal fluctuations and changing customer demand.”
Jason Midgley, Chelsea Sugar's Logistics Manager
Needs of the client:
- A large volume of containers
- Fast, efficient, and reliable delivery
- Effective tracking of containers
- Safe, dry, food grade containers for extended periods
- Hire and return in different geographical locations
SOLUTION
Chelsea Sugar use containers for onsite storage of a wide range of products such as bulk liquid sugar and granulated sugar.
Midgley says with fluctuating demand it is key Royal Wolf can supply a varied number of containers, often at very short notice.
“It’s bang, bang, bang – efficient and fast deployment every time. And for all the extra storage the containers provide it works so well on site and they can be utilised for the whole journey around the country because of the nationwide reach Royal Wolf has.”
He says an example of the ease of using containers is filling bladders of liquid sugar inside containers which are then supplied to bee farmers.
“It’s just so easy,” he says. “With a container holding one full size the boxes provide significant extra storage on top of what can be stored inside the factory.
“Royal Wolf really showcased its capability during Covid-19 when demand escalated dramatically and we had 60 of their containers being used on site.”
Solutions provided:
- Fast, reliable service
- Supplying specific numbers of containers depending on demand
- Creative logistical solutions
- Efficient invoicing system for ease of following and tracking containers
- Containers delivered to Auckland factory
- Containers de-hired in different locations
OUTCOME
“Our partnership with Royal Wolf started early in 2020 when we were upgrading our storage system and had to find a temporary home for our product at short notice. Royal Wolf supplied a mix of 20 and 40-foot containers over the next few days.
“The relationship has continued to grow, especially with the extra support they have given us during Covid.”
He says having extra container storage on site also enables Chelsea Sugar to increase efficiencies across the business by stockpiling certain products.
“With 65 trucks a day coming through the site and 350 pallet movements, which doubled to 700 a day during the Covid lockdown, this place is busy. So being able to keep track of the containers and having an efficient invoice system makes my job so much easier.”
