An afternoon with Sigma
In June, MBS Features Editor Russell Drury paid a visit to Sigma’s Logistics Division in West Yorkshire. In this blog post he outlines what he learned during his tour.
Working on trade magazines brings me into contact with a lot of leading brands in the construction sector. Mainly, however, this is via email, or the occasional phone call, and at a push an online meeting – such is the modern way. Trade shows bring a lot of names together under one roof, but meetings are often brief, meaning you only get a snapshot of what various companies do. So, when an invitation arrives in your inbox for a site visit, it would seem foolish to refuse.
On 24th June, I travelled up the A1 to visit one of Sigma’s sites – a Goods Not For Resale (GNFR) facility for a major retail client – in Normanton, just south of Leeds.
Sigma is still a relatively young company, having been founded in 2007. It started its journey by supporting one major retail client before expanding to support additional clients in retail and other sectors. Today, it boasts four divisions – Logistics, Display, Retail Solutions and Building Services – and operates from several international locations. I got an inside peek at the Logistics Division.
Upon arrival, I met Stuart Thomas, Supply Chain Director, and Yasmin Ireland, Marketing Manager, and discussed the division’s day-to-day activities over lunch. We then took a tour of the offices and chatted with the team before putting on high-vis vests and entering the warehouse and distribution facilities.
During the visit, I learned that GNFR and the wider supply chain represents a major source of untapped savings for retailers as it accounts for 25% of operating costs. Sigma’s Logistics Division offers full control of the GNFR supply chain, managing all equipment requirements across a client’s estate, regardless of volume and source, and providing a total consolidation service through warehousing, project consolidation, logistics and recycling.
The latter is important in terms of sustainability – the company not only helps minimise waste, but also encourages the refurbishment and recycling of fixtures, which in turn optimises availability, improves productivity and drives down cost. In fact, in a recent feature article for MBS Sigma discussed the challenges involved in decarbonising office and retail environments.
I also gained a deeper understanding of how GNFR impacts operational efficiency and customer experiences. Let me explain.
When you walk into a shop that’s part of a nationwide chain, you will quickly become familiar with where to find particular items – this is no accident, thanks to companies like Sigma. Whether you’re in a chemist in London or a supermarket in Glasgow, as soon as you enter the premises, brand familiarity will hit you without you even realising, as each retail company has a way of creating an environment to make the shopping experience as easy as possible for its customers. This covers everything, from the shelving to the checkout counters.
My visit to Sigma’s GNFR facility gave me a greater appreciation for the logistics and design processes behind the shop fronts and interiors we see on our high streets every day.
Sigma and its suppliers send equipment to the facility to be stored until needed. When a new store or the refurbishment of an existing store is approved, a list of the items required and their quantities are sent to Sigma, where the team picks out and distributes each individual asset on the ‘shopping list’.
The team only delivers the items required for the next few days, ensuring that any assets awaiting installation are not taking up precious room on the shop floor or in the back of house. By sending items directly from the facility, vehicles on-site are reduced, and the process is streamlined with everything delivered as and when it is needed.
This directly contributes to the customer experience – it’s the invisible work that makes those smooth, familiar shopping environments possible. It also avoids unnecessary downtime during store openings or refurbishments while aligning with sustainability by minimising waste and reducing vehicle emissions.
Facility tours like this help us to see under the skin of a company and give some deeper context to the words on the pages of our magazine. Thank you to Stuart, Yasmin and the rest of the Sigma Logistics Division for an enjoyable and useful day out.
