The art of supply handling for our installation team

We asked our Logistics Coordinator, Ron Ligtvoet, why he introduced three different types of boxes.
 
“Our team needs to work smoothly and efficiently wherever they are. In the old days, they received a black box with whatever they needed onsite. I developed three boxes with fixed contents so they would always know which items were stored in which box. Besides, I picked three colours for the boxes: black, grey and red, making it easier to pick the right box.”
 
So you did this only to make onsite work more efficient? “To begin with, yes. But costs and sustainability are important issues, as well. Before a box returns, the guys mark opened items with the letter O and put them back in the box instead of throwing them away. I check the contents on return and decide if the box needs a second, new item or not. WD40 grease appeared to be hardly used, for example. Every box leaves with 50 sheets of sandpaper. Upon return, I immediately see what’s missing and only refill the box with the missing sheets. This way, we save products and costs.”
 
And what do we see in the photo, Ron? “This is a typical set of boxes with products such as fuse boxes and flectron strips in the grey one, a can of WD40 and sandpaper in the red one and gloves and ear protection in the black box. The boxes are the first things I have ready when preparing a shipment. So I used to put them on the pallets first. Then the guys told me it’s better to load them last so they can pick the boxes from the pallets first since it’s the first thing they need onsite. It makes sense, but I never thought of that. That’s why it’s good we have a good relationship and open communication!”