Independent foodservice wholesaler, Creed Catering Supplies Ltd, is making a major investment in new warehousing technology from BCP which will enable it to offer an improved service to its catering customers.

Established over 25 years ago, Creed Catering Supplies is a leading member of the Country Range Group and has delivered impressive growth in recent years. With 2008 turnover of £30m projected, Creed Catering Supplies operates from three sites in the Cheltenham area and uses its own fleet of 33 multi-temperature vehicles to service some 2000 accounts with a comprehensive range of meat and poultry, fresh, frozen, ambient and non-food products. Customers include care homes, schools, hotels and restaurants, travel and leisure outlets in the South West and Midlands and, with its latest ‘big win’, - Wyevale garden centres – Creed has become a nationwide distributor, supplying Wyevale’s 65 restaurants across the country.

The investment in a modern warehouse management system (WMS) was stimulated by growth of the business alongside the company’s determination to offer exceptional service levels to its customers. Once the decision to invest had been made, BCP worked closely with Creed through a series of workshops and site visits, to ensure functional compatibility and a system aligned specifically to Creed’s particular requirements.

The new Accord WMS is being implemented initially in Creed’s main ambient warehouse at Staverton. It replaces a manual system, introducing Radio Frequency (RF) technology for Goods Receiving and FLT operations in the first instance. Implementation began at the end of February and the system is expected to be up and running early in April. It will integrate directly to Creed’s main Accord system, interfacing seamlessly to Purchasing, Stock Control and Telesales and giving Creed all the benefits of real time, mobile operations, including higher productivity and improved accuracy.

Creed Commercial Director, Karl Goodwin: “Improving business efficiency is one of our key strategic plans. This system will improve our overall efficiency and ensure we continue to offer a service that exceeds our customers’ expectations.”