Both Medochemie and Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) exceeded my expectations. Medochemie is a generic prescription drug manufacturer. They import necessary materials for drugs, manufacture them, and transport them to their customers, usually hospitals or distribution companies such as Advil. CSM is a company that, as the name suggests, manages ships, also known as vessels. There is a lot that goes into managing ships such as crew management and fleet management.
Medochemie
After a brief presentation about the company, our group was guided into the storage facility. At first glance, the facility seems like any other storage room, housing many containers and some forklift operators. With closer observation, the facility is seen to have taken every little detail into consideration. No space was wasted, and the room was fully optimized to make the transportation of the drugs as efficient as possible. As a student of Industrial Engineering, I found myself doing something similar in the future.
The man who planned the facility was very informative. He started by explaining the first storage room, which had rows AA, BB, CC through GG. Each of these rows were stacked to the high ceiling with cargo. Since these rows of cargo were directly next to each other, it seemed impossible for a forklift operator to access the cargo. However, with the push of a button, the row can separate, giving the forklift the perfect amount of room to take the cargo. After seeing this, I realized the importance of details when optimizing a facility. Even though a small detail may seem useless, a lot of small details can form to have a huge impact.
Another example of optimization in the facility was the tracks which the forklift operators navigated. These small lines on the ground were calibrated to a GPS system which told the forklift operators exactly when to stop to choose the correct cargo instead of wasting time thinking themselves. There were many other things taken into consideration in the design of the storage facility, and if I had the time I would have wanted to learn every detail.
Columbia Shipmanagement
Along with learning about the purpose of this company, I also learned about the importance of first impressions. CSM walked us into their beautifully kept building with living trees and a koi pond. The receptionist was helpful, and they provided us with an aluminum CSM branded water bottle upon entry. Since we have been meeting with companies all week, and sat through countless presentations, it was nice to have a change. I was naturally more eager to hear what the company offered.
Relation To Supply Chain
After reflection, the importance of efficient steps is crucial for a successful supply chain. Paying attention to the details in storage facilities, for example, will add up to have an effect on the supply chain. If there are five storage facilities, each reducing a minute per hour, after a month a total of 2 and a half days would be optimized. This is not only present in Medochemie though. Paying attention to the safety and competence of the crew can save countless hours as well. The smallest misstep from a crew member can cause an accident, setting the supply chain back days or even months. Goods can be lost and companies can be put in debt.