Sugro Distribution, founded in 1992, is the contract distribution arm of
Sugro UK, part of National Wholesale Confectioners Ltd.

SDL was formed to provide National and Regional clients with a onestop
shop delivery service for a wide variety of food and non-food
requirements. We have a nationwide wholesale distribution network,
with every part of the UK covered including the Highlands and Islands
of Scotland, the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland.

Through our wholesaler members, many of whom are independent,
family owned and operated businesses, SDL provides clients with a
quality of service not found in many other national wholesale chains.
Our wholesalers are locally based and therefore closer to their target
market. Their swift service is built upon many years' experience of
multi-drop wholesale distribution. They are specialists in what they do
and their reputations often precede them.

Through SDL, these wholesalers are able to play their individual parts
in major national food distribution contracts. On their own they may
have been unable to win national business without the network
capability and back-up office operational support provided through
the Sugro supply chain network and SDL Head Office in Nantwich,
Cheshire.

Many of the Sugro wholesalers started by specialising in the supply of
confectionery to small shopkeepers. We are still experts in the
impulse sector but today's impulse market is about convenience and
service and our range extends across all food grocery areas, including
licensed products, toiletries and non-foods, to enable retailers to
obtain all of their requirements from their Sugro wholesaler.

Retailers are not our only customers. The product range extends to
catering and vending products. If you have purchased from a vending
machine recently, there is a good chance that one of our wholesalers
provided the stock to the vending operator. As for catering, our
customer base comprises, amongst others, places of work, private
businesses, public bodies and leisure providers and their product and
pack size requirements are many and varied.

Is Sugro big enough to cope? Currently the Sugro wholesale network
supplies 41,000 outlets and to do this it uses a 450-strong delivery
vehicle fleet. The service is supported by 350 field and
telesales personnel.

Yes, Sugro is big enough to cope and our wholesalers are close enough
to their customers to care. The excellent service they offer is the key
differentiator in this competitive marketplace.

Many of our delivery depots operate on a "Day 1 for Day 3" delivery
cycle but because service and proximity to our customer are key to
what we can offer, many achieve shorter lead time deliveries,
depending on time and placement of the order.

Flexibility of operation is another cornerstone of our contract offer.
The tailoring of our service is also a key differentiator that sets SDL
apart from others.

Order capture can be undertaken via a variety of routes in accordance with customer preference. We can call outlets and take a telesales order by phone or you can fax through your requirements.
Alternatively we can accept orders electronically via EDI data transfer
or we can give you access to an intranet portal where you can submit
your requirements on line. If there is a preferred method not
mentioned above, our IT team can work with you to ensure
connectivity and ease of e-transfer.

Once in receipt of an order, it will be compared to an approved
product list so that you will only receive the products you authorise at a price you agreed. If your requirements change, we simply update the APL to ensure a seamless order capture process.

Your order will immediately be relayed electronically to the nominated
wholesaler. Waves of orders are transferred several times throughout
each working day.

At the delivery centre, your order is processed and the goods picked,
enabling the production of a delivery note which can be personalised
to your requirements.

Deliveries are made according to customer requirements and our
invoice is raised when the proof of delivery is returned to the delivery
centre.

Customer invoicing then takes place according to the account set-up,
with payment terms applied accordingly.

Underpinning this process is a powerful SQL database with
management reporting available at every stage and the ability to
specify additional reports on an ad hoc basis.

This means that SDL operates using real time data and has a clear
picture at all stages of the supply chain, which makes for an extremely efficient and visible business system.

see Process Flowchart.

The customer places an order, which the depot then inputs into the SCOPS System. SCOPS transmits the order to the SDL System at the Nantwich Head Office.

The SDL system sends the order directly into the relevant depot's system to generate the depot picking list.

Confirmation of the picked order is transmitted back into the SDL system and a personalised delivery note is produced from the
SDL system at the depot.

The depot makes the delivery and confirms the P.O.D. into the SDL system, which in turn accepts the order and sends a file to Head Office Administration for the purpose of completing the
Sales ledger transaction.

It should be noted that a copy of the gross order received from the customer is placed into the database. In addition, a copy of the nett order is placed in the database, providing SDL Head Office with a real-time method of reviewing performance or resolving any customer queries.