The cold storage industry has been increasingly preoccupied with attaining productivity with the help of an efficient team. Regardless of the area covered, from cold chain management to transportation and warehouse operations, industry representatives acknowledge the importance of training and educational programs, that help employees achieve better performance.
2014 will mark the 50th anniversary of the acclaimed World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO) Institute, the premier educational program for refrigerated warehousing managers. The Institute has trained more than 7,500 employees of cold chain companies in facilities management, finance and productivity, food science/food safety, human resources, logistics management, risk management, and warehouse technology. WFLO is a core partner of the Global Cold Chain Alliance, which represents all major industries engaged in temperature-controlled logistics and unites partners to be innovative leaders in the temperature-controlled products industry. The organization delivers education and research to the industry and empowers economic development by strengthening the global cold chain.
50 years of educational programs
The Institute represents the heart of the educational mission of WFLO, and those who have gone through its three-year curriculum have raved about what they have learned and the powerful connections they have made with colleagues throughout the industry that have led to lifelong friendships. The four-day industry-specific program for professionals engaged in temperature-controlled logistics, offering more than 40 classes taught by leading experts in the industry. The curriculum takes students through cold chain management, customer service, employee safety, food safety, warehouse operations, transportation operations, and professional development. To celebrate this anniversary, a committee of industry professionals reviewed the content of the WFLO Institute curriculum and developed a new curriculum for Years 1, 2 and 3. Transportation electives have been added to recognize the fact that transportation is an integral part of cold chain operations.
The following six modules comprise the new curriculum: • Module 1: Cold Chain Management • Module 2: Customer Relations • Module 3: Employee Safety • Module 4: Food Safety • Module 5a: Warehouse Operations • Module 5b: Transportation Operations • Module 6: Career Development WFLO also examined what type of programming could be offered for graduates of the WFLO Institute. So it is also pleased to announce the debut of the WFLO Graduate Institute at the 50th WFLO Institute. This new program will build on the curriculum of the WFLO Institute and foster our industry’s next generation of leaders by focusing on personnel management, leadership development, and professional development. Many association members can attest to the quality of education and training in the improved skills that their employers bring back to their companies. This has led to higher levels of performance and productivity across the board, including higher levels of customer service.
ECSLA Lisbon meeting
Similar topics were also discussed by some 60 representatives of the cold storage industry from 13 European countries and the USA, who attended the ECSLA Fall Cold Chain Logistics Conference in Lisbon this fall. Measuring the employees’ productivity is still a relatively new approach and was analyzed at the event by J.P. Joei of Argent Consulting Group (USA). He told the audience how it can help to determine the level of expectation for work performance, provide insight in how a company is doing by the amount of work produced, can be used as a means for better planning, scheduling and quoting, and gives better knowledge about the work processes (and possible barriers) and the number of people that are required to perform a task. Poor performance can be the result of problems with products, equipment, systems and facility layout as well as staff not knowing how to efficiently perform their tasks. Through reviewing processes and work methods it becomes clear how, when, why and by whom tasks are performed and what can be done to improve productivity.
Another important factor for productivity is employee engagement. According to consultant and long-time industry expert Paul Pegg of Thinketh & Company (UK) employees who believe that management is genuinely concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied and more fulfilled. Furthermore, engaged employees are more likely to perform great or unexpected achievements, more likely to propose improvements or innovations and more likely to recommend the business to friends or family. António Coutinho of energy company EDP (Portugal) talked about best practices in the cold storage industry with regard to energy efficiency and saving. He listed measurements for quick wins like regular defrosting, checking door seals and smart use of lighting, as well as medium term gains as a result of thermal insulation, proper monitoring and intelligent defrosting. Productivity and accuracy in shipping, transportation and receiving processes can be greatly increased through solutions based on AIDC technologies such as RFID and wireless sensors. Francesco Fantoni Guerci, CEO of Id-Solutions (Italy) discussed the benefits of combining passive RFID for unit loads identification and active sensors for fully automated temperature monitoring, perfect goods loading and order reconciliation.
The combination of these technologies results in a higher service level, faster receiving processes and less time wasted by staff on correcting inaccuracies. The conference was organized in cooperation with the Portuguese logistics association APOL and store companies Frissul and STEF Portugal, which also hosted visits to their companies thus offering delegates a chance to take a look behind the scenes of their operations. The series of events organized by ECSLA will continue next year, when representatives of the cold storage industry will meet during the 17th European Cold Chain Logistics Conference & Trade Show next February, in Maastricht, The Netherlands. This conference features plenary sessions on strategic and operational issues and breakout sessions on operations, technology, workers’ health and safety, refrigeration and energy. Furthermore, the event offers a trade show, facility visits, sightseeing, conference banquet and plenty of networking opportunities. Its aim is to bring together international industry executives, senior management, and operational specialists from cold storage, food manufacturing, processing, warehousing, transportation and distribution companies, as well as representatives from government agencies, universities, investors and suppliers to these industries.