Client Challenge
Unilever's distribution costs were running high and they wanted to develop a repeatable process through the distribution network to increase productivity and increase customer satisfaction by decreasing cost to reduce risk.

Solution
Over the past 15 years GENCO has maintained a relationship with Unilever and during that time we have been able to decrease their cost per case and increase their case per hour throughout all of 7 distribution centers that we manage. We also have been able to increase their case fill and reduce order to delivery time.

Overview What GENCO Does For Unilever
GENCO is very familiar with network distribution initiatives posed by our customers. Year 2001 marked the beginning of Unilever's strategic initiative to enhance customer service and support continued growth through expansion using a distribution network concept throughout the United States.

Unilever selected GENCO to operate three of their five one million sq. ft. network DC's which are scheduled to open sporadically over a two years period. The first of the Network DC's opened in April 2002 in Palmetto, Georgia. GENCO has operated this facility since January 1999 and in October 2001; groundbreaking began as this facility grew from 600,000 to 1.1 million square feet of space. As a part of the network initiative, GENCO was also chosen as Unilever's sole provider of Reverse Logistics services. Unilever HPC has awarded GENCO the contracts to operate two distribution centers one in the Midwest located in Pontoon, IL the facility is 1.3 million square feet and one in Dallas, TX the facility is 440,000 square feet.

Results
Over the past 15 years, GENCO has been able to provide Unilever with a building project management, start-up management, system integration, system testing, system set-up, all hiring, personal recruiting and training, safety programs (core excellence audits & benefits administration), facility layout and design resources. The development of repeatable processes throughout the 7 distribution centers that GENCO operates have been able to lower cost per case each year out of the 15 year relationship between GENCO and Unilever and continue to increase in cases per hour.