Contract Logistics
WELL will work closely with your suppliers and contribute to the planning and processing of your orders with the aim of building better relationships with them. Over time we will measure their performance and provide periodic reports to our clients.
The primary function of the WELL expediting service is to ensure the delivery of purchased goods to a pre-determined and promised delivery schedule or critical path network. It is the task of the expeditor to detect and analyse the areas, which might cause or entail delays. The expeditor must obtain or reaffirm delivery promises from suppliers, must fully investigate all aspects of the suppliers scheduling which are evidence of the practicality of achieving such promises and must physically check progress of all functions of the suppliers operations being engineering, procurement, production and shipping departments.
The outcome of the service is to suggest constructive solutions in order to meet the schedule, inform the client of the real situation existing and of all decisions taken to meet the pre-determined schedule. WELL can perform expediting services to a sequential group of activities forming a chain within the network plan, a selected number of activities or indeed the total project activities.
At WELL we are fully versed in all aspects of export packing and case making. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to packing, typically we custom design and then build only after all relevant criteria has been taken into consideration.
Amongst other things, we take into account the destination climate, shelf life of the product, transportation method, storage conditions and also the precise location of the opening and unpacking the item, which can be especially relevant if working in remote areas without good access to tools and equipment. A key focus of ours is to manufacture reusable wooden cases which are built using screws, not nails or staples, which can then be collapsed into a convenient storage size for reuse at a later date. This also underlines our commitment to appropriate environmental sensitivity.
In addition, we ensure that wood packaging material (WPM) used by WELL not only for countries which are signatories to the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM), is fully FSC accredited (Heat Treated to ISPM 15) and carry all necessary markings and certifications.
Particular care is given to the preparation of supporting documentation such as packing lists, because the accuracy of these documents can eliminate the need for intermediate inventory checking. For example goods which may be required to go to an offshore installation are very often received and checked by a materials controller, then repacked and despatched to the rig. WELL eliminate this requirement by packing, documenting and labeling to such a finite standard that intermediate checks are not necessary.
When packing dangerous goods, we take great care to analyse the transport options for the intended destination to ascertain the various options available. Thus, for example where there are limited cargo aircraft only options available for a particular destination, wherever possible it makes sense, to pack in reduced quantities to meet the criteria for loading on a passenger aircraft. This may slightly increase your packing costs but which will be offset with lower freight rates and a significantly reduced transit time.
Typical Packing Products include:
- Plywood cases for standard movement
- Heavy duty cases and pallets in full timber
- Sea freight softwood base or BER cases
- Crate style cases
- Lightweight airfreight tri-wall cases
- Vacuum sealed packs for extreme environments
- Blocking and bracing shipping containers
The size and scope of our warehousing operations worldwide are as varied as the customer base we serve, each one with particular functionality, unique to its regional location and operating circumstances.
Our facilities range in size depending on their location, but in most countries we typically provide both covered and open storage areas. In all cases we not only provide long term warehousing as a cost effective solution for our clients, but we also use our facilities extensively as transit sheds, rotating large volumes of import and export cargo.
We endeavour to provide a combination of racked, bulk stowed storage and mobile racking optimising space and versatility, with facilities for handling palletised, non-palletised, caged, or bulk products. Whatever the product, our warehousing and distribution services are totally flexible not just in attitude but also in their handling capability.
Many of our operations are 24/7 with complex multiple shift patterns, and supporting the intricate and time-critical demands of manufacturing environments. We also provide standard RH&D, warehousing storage, container de-stuff, pick-pack, pallet management and order consolidation, as well as a whole range of added value activities.
The computerised warehouse stock control allows all consignments to be tracked and traced from initial check in through storage and distribution to final proof of delivery.
Additional services such as decanting dangerous goods, refrigerated storage and replenishing dry ice consignments are provided through one of our strategic alliance partners.
Through a sister company, we have unrivalled expertise in providing Supply Base Management Solutions and have successful track record in serving such companies as TOTAL in North Africa. Clients interested in supply base services should contact our office for further information.
GPS a sister company of WELL provide bespoke solutions in the area of Supply Base Management for major oil and gas clients. Supply base operations are a vital part of the logistics chain and for this reason continuous efforts are made to improve process reliability, safety and measures to reduce operations’ environmental impact.
Outbound
We believe that success of your operation relies of real track & trace capability of your material from the supplier facility up to receipt in the offshore installation.
We use WELL Freight Forwarding capability to move the cargo, in the best conditions, to our supply base facility and then proceed to the receipt of the material in our inventory system according to Oil & Gas requirements (OCTG by footage and Joints for example). Our Warehouse control system tracks all movements and can be accessed online by clients on real time through the web interface.
We comply with UKOOA guidelines for Onshore Preparations, following our and our Clients’ procedures in place to make sure there is no disruption in the material supply.
Inbound
Inbound cargo is inspected for damages or discrepancies before it is discharged and returned to the stock or the suppliers facilities.
Safety at the Supply Base
Supply base activities are high-risk activities for both man and the environment. Obviously, our people are well trained and supervised and management systems are in place to handle all imaginable contingencies. In addition, our supply bases are floodlit, so that daytime light conditions prevail during even the darkest nights.
But that’s not always enough. Hardware plays a vital role in safety, too. It is therefore our policy to work only with modern, certified equipment which meets the highest possible standards of safety.
Additional Benefits to GPS Supply Base clients
GPS operates at the leading edge of the shipping and oil and gas services industry, and endeavour to deliver additional value over the competition. These value added services include:
- Real knowledge of Client requirements and awareness of cost implications to the client of any loss of time or material.
- Real Time communication with the client logistics and drilling departments during operations
- Awareness of Oil & Gas culture in regards to reporting of any problems during operations and corrective actions
WELL have extensive experience in supporting international upstream operations. The range of goods sourced varies from oilfield materials such as OCTG, line pipe, marine hose and valves through to essential pharmaceutical supplies and other consumables.
Through a sister company, we have direct working experience in supporting upstream operations both internationally and the UK North Sea sector, means that we are highly tuned in to the demands faced by operators in remote locations.
Dedicated procurement personnel also have significant experience in working in remote locations and can therefore empathise with those based there trying to get the job done, often in very frustrating circumstances. It is through these experiences and our emphasis on communication that we believe we can offer a high quality service that meets the needs of our customers. Our ability to source from international markets enables us to obtain the most competitive pricing for our customers and locate goods with shortest lead times. By integrating the sourcing and procurement services with our logistics division we can deliver accurate pricing with genuine service capabilities enabling our clients to take timely decisions and staying ahead of this competition.
WELL can provide expertise in the area of capital goods procurement or for goods requiring a strategic approach to acquisition. Some examples are:
- where total cost analysis is relevant rather than just price
- where prices are artificially controlled or fluctuate considerably
- where a negotiated approach is more appropriate rather than tenderingwhere frame agreements are more appropriate
- where pre-qualification of suppliers is necessary