Category: GMK News

GMK has brought the future of carpet cutting to Australia.

GMK’s new Carpet Boss III cutting machine is now fully operational in GMK’s Melbourne depot and is fast transforming the flooring logistics industry. Built by Perpetual Machine Company in U.S.A., it represents a very substantial investment by GMK in its customers and the Australian flooring industry.

The Carpet Boss III is already helping GMK to better serve its customers. It is capable of an impressive 45 cuts per hour when running at capacity.  That is 342 cuts in a standard day shift, which includes check measure balances and doffing off.  It’s the most advanced cutting machine in Australia.

The Carpet Boss III is fully-automatic, with a Dual-Precision Measuring System which ensures carpet cutting accuracy.  It has a high speed, four blade, scissor type cross cutter with the added benefit of an adjustable single blade carpet slitter.

Another key feature is the heavy duty, 4 metre accumulation table for staging rolls before they are automatically wrapped. Each roll is securely wrapped in plastic with core inserts at each end that seal the carpet for added protection and provide excellent presentation to the receiving customer.

GMK has also recently rolled out the Jaix Warehouse Management System [Jaix] which incorporates full RF scanning capability.  All carpet rolls are scanned upon receipt at GMK, which makes the carpet immediately available to order.  Outbound and cut rolls are scanned out of storage when ordered. If a roll requires a cut, it is scanned into the cutting machine location, which is capable of housing up to 10 mother rolls, where they are scheduled for efficient cutting.

The Carpet Boss III will be set up to talk directly to Jaix and automatically update stock records with accurate carpet measurements after each cut.  The system also has the smarts to foresee any opportunities for a second cut from the same roll, which reduces double handling.  GMK shares this efficiency with its customers. Jaix will also generate a customer report at the end of each day summarising all cuts and providing visibility of work completed, work in progress and all balances.

This new machine, along with the new Jaix IT solution, puts GMK right at the cutting edge of the Australian flooring logistics market. Customers utilising the GMK outsourced warehouse solution now have a number of distinct advantages over their competition, including:

* speed to market, with immediate access to GMK’s extensive national transport network
* world class equipment and IT solutions, with full product visibility
* the ability to focus on their core business without the distraction of a warehouse operation
* no warehouse WHS or HR compliance issues, and
* reduced capital investment and improved cashflow.

For further enquiries or to arrange a viewing of the new Carpet Boss III, please contact GMK on 1300 796 208.

 

The team at GMK Logistics decided to do something a little different this year to help celebrate Christmas.

Knowing there were many local families doing it tough, we asked everyone to bring in a suitable toy or a food item to donate.

The result was overwhelming, with some amazing toys donated together with a range of food items that will make a real difference this Christmas for many local families.

Pictured above is Amy Burgin and Rachel Satara from our Sydney depot, presenting our donations to the nearby Salvation Army depot.

The Salvos are packaging our donations into hampers to be distributed to the local families most in need.

GMK is proud of its long history of supporting the local community.

GMK’s new Sydney warehouse in Gregory Hills was opened in January 2016. At 16,300 square metres it was more than double the size of our previous depot at nearby Smeaton Grange.

Despite this significant increase, the new facility was soon at capacity with two of our largest customers entrusting us with the care of their high quality product in our modern, purpose built facility. Accordingly, in 2017 we commenced construction of a 6,100 square metre extension with racking for both rolled and palletized flooring products.

This extension was completed in April 2018 and has already achieved strong uptake from new and existing customers. However we still have space available so if you have any warehousing requirements please do not hesitate to contact our NSW State Manager, Sarah Rigby, on 1300 796 208.

GMK Logistics have chosen to add the new generation Mercedes-Benz Actros to its fleet, instead of going for another American-style prime mover.

The Mercedes-Benz Actros 2651 runs the 13-litre engine and has a power output of 510hp and a torque peak of 2500Nm (1844lb-ft), with a fully automated 12-speed transmission and boasts a number of integrated safety features.

With this being first time GMK and parent company CTI Logistics have purchased a Mercedes-Benz, the company is delighted at seeing a big fuel economy shift after only a few months on the road.

“The fuel economy figures they are getting represent a 25 per cent improvement in fuel economy over the old truck,” said CTI Logistics Commercial Manager, Glenn Brown.

“That is significant. We are very happy with our decision to go with the Mercedes-Benz,” he said.

The 2651 Actros has been put to work hauling a B-Double trailer set delivering floor coverings around Sydney during the day with one driver, before setting off on the Newcastle run at night with another driver.

GMK Logistics General Manager of Operations, David Knagge, says the truck has been well received by the drivers.

“They love it,” Mr Knagge said.

“It is a big improvement and the drivers really like the comfort, the vision and all of the safety features.”

Mr Knagge says the integrated safety features, which include a radar-based emergency auto brake feature, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control are a big plus.

“Safety is extremely important to our company, not just for our drivers but also the community,” he said.

The new acquisition complements the more than 650 vehicles for parent company CTI Logistics, which range from courier vehicles to triple road train combinations.

We are pleased to announce that GMK’s new Sydney premises at Gregory Hills is now fully operational.

To minimise disruption to our normal scheduled services the move was completed during our usual Christmas shut-down period.

The old Sydney facility at Smeaton Grange is now closed.

The contact details for our new Sydney warehouse and Head Office are:

Address:

82 Rodeo Road
Gregory Hills NSW 2557

Phone:                       

1300 796 208 (unchanged)
(02) 9308 8500 (new and operational now)

Office Fax:

(02) 9094 2213 (new and operational now)

If you have any questions about GMK’s move, or if you would like to organise a visit to our purpose built 16,000sqm facility, please call Ann Lamont (Customer Service Manager) on 1300 796 208.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your wonderful support in 2015 and we look forward to working with you in 2016 and beyond. We wish you and your families all the very best for the festive season.

 

We are proud to announce the launch of our new company logo as part of the ongoing evolution of the GMK Logistics brand.

Our business has grown and evolved over the last 53 years, and now that we are part of the CTI Logistics group, we felt it was time for a change. We have refreshed our logo to reflect who we are today and to symbolize our exciting future. This wasn’t a decision we made lightly. We are proud of our history and that’s why our new logo retains the core elements, including the familiar chevron symbols.

The selection of the new logo took into account the following objectives:

• to preserve our overall identity, in particular to retain the GMK Logistics name;
• to assume the CTI Logistics corporate colours; and
• to be functional and easily identifiable on the sides of vehicles and elsewhere.

In the coming months we will be updating our building and vehicle signage, marketing materials, online presence and stationery with the new logo. We are aware that changing a logo is a process that involves many steps and takes time, so we will adopt the new logo gradually and without unnecessary expense.

One thing that won’t be changing is GMK’s total commitment to providing the highest possible levels of customer service. We take this opportunity to thank our customers for their great support over the years and we look forward to working with you, and helping you grow your business, well into the future.

 

GMK has operated from its current Sydney depot in Smeaton Grange, near Campbelltown in Sydney’s south west, since 2008. The facility has been a great base for GMK throughout that time. However, with the growth of our national operation over the last couple of years, and the prospect of securing a number of new 3PL customers it became a necessity to look for a larger facility.

Following an extensive search of potential sites the decision was taken to build a purpose built facility in nearby Gregory Hills.  Whilst the new site will be approximately double the size of the current Sydney facility it will still be smaller than our Melbourne warehouse at Laverton North, which reflects that Melbourne continues to be home to many of Australia’s major flooring companies.

Construction of our new Sydney home is now well advanced and we are pleased to report that we are ahead of schedule and within the project’s overall budget.

The facility is due to be completed in December 2015 and boasts:

• A 16,000 sqm integrated transport and warehouse facility
• The capability to extend the warehouse by an additional 4,000 sqm
• Specialised racking for carpet rolls, vinyl rolls and palletised product
• Two laser cutting machines for carpets and potentially another for vinyl floor coverings, subject to customer demand
• A fully integrated security system with over 40 security cameras
• 16 transport docks, all equipped with dock levelers
• A single flow traffic management plan with two street frontages, each with a separate entry and exit point
• A weighbridge, fully operated from the dock office
• A significantly larger and more efficient office layout
• 92 car parks with a separate entrance and exit

This is a very exciting project and is GMK’s first ever purpose built facility.  The recent gain of Cavalier Bremworth’s warehousing business has already confirmed the need for the new facility and, with other solid new business prospects, the depot is likely to be well utilised within its first year.

The reasons for outsourcing warehousing functions and operations to a third party expert specialist are many and varied. They include the obvious ‘hard’ justifications such as the reduced need for capital investment in your warehouse, the lower cost of sharing compared to owning and the reduced need for specially trained warehouse staff.

They also extend to less tangible or quantifiable benefits such as the value of flexibility that outsourcing brings. In this article we offer you ten powerful reasons why outsourcing your warehouse operations to a specialist, expert 3rd Party Logistics (3PL) operator makes good business sense.

1. More time to focus on your core business
   

Regardless of whether you design and manufacture flooring products yourself or import them from other manufacturers, your core business is flooring products and not warehousing.

The case for outsourcing ‘non-core’ business operations is strong, especially if those operations are not direct revenue earners. Instead, when properly viewed as overheads, those operations are likely to be soaking up cash and diverting management time and expertise that could be put to much better use on your core business.

2. No warehouse Health & Safety compliance issues
   

Running and managing a warehouse can be particularly complex because of the Health & Safety requirements involved. Regular specialist training and certifications for staff in some areas of warehouse operations are mandatory and subject to strict enforcement.

Health & Safety, while entirely justified, can be cumbersome and even overwhelming. For those reasons, it may be best to outsource your warehousing function to a specialist.

3. Better service
   

Specialist 3PL providers, whose revenues depend on the provision of quality services, are more likely to be true experts. Their service levels can also be backed up by appropriate contractual terms.

These service level agreements are enforceable, not just in a legal sense, but also because your service provider will work hard to retain your business and its own reputation. It is in their interest to do an excellent job for you.

4. Ideal distribution location
   

You are most likely currently paying for your product to be picked up by your transport provider and transported to their cross docking facility. It’s not only the cost and the double handling involved, there is also a delay in the delivery of your product to your end customer. Speed to market is vital these days and your 3PL provider will have the appropriate transport network available at their warehouse.

5. Reduced capital investment
   

Whether you own your own warehouse or rent the space from a third party, the costs are high compared to outsourcing.

If it’s a simple matter of ownership vs outsourcing where costs and cash flow are the only factors, outsourcing is usually the answer. You can free up capital by switching from an in-house to outsourced model, or avoid the upfront cost completely if you are choosing between investment in your own warehouse or outsourcing to an experienced 3PL provider.

6. No ancillary equipment purchases
   

As well as avoiding capital investment in warehouse infrastructure, you’ll also save on the associated costs of equipping your warehouse with everything from pallet racking to safety barriers, mezzanine floors and forklift trucks.

The costs of maintaining and servicing this equipment on a regular basis is also significant and it’s worth considering outsourcing on this basis alone.

7. Flexibility: No long term lease or wasted space
   

A key benefit of outsourced warehousing is the flexibility it offers your business. You no longer need to worry about long term property leases nor the cost of empty racking during the year to ensure you have space available for the peak season. You will also have an incentive to keep stock levels low, as you will only be paying for what you use, rather than the fixed cost of your own warehouse.

8. Shared costs: Benefits of a shared resource
   

A shared resource is likely to be a cheaper resource – because your 3PL provider is spreading their overheads across multiple clients.

The quality of your operation is not compromised because your 3PL provider knows that his business also depends on your business being efficient and successful.

9. Reduced requirement for HR operations
   

Management of warehouse staff can be difficult and time consuming, particularly if operations carry on round the clock or your workforce is unionised. As well as outsourcing your warehouse operations you are also outsourcing a big part of HR management, including training, payroll, sick pay, holiday pay and performance management.

10. Because there are specialists to do it for you
    

The old business principles hold true: if a 3PL provider can do it more efficiently than you, it’s worth investigating the outsourcing route.

If none of the other reasons for outsourcing your warehouse persuades you, start here. Simply analyse what your warehousing operations currently cost and then compare against the cost of a specialist 3PL provider.

For more information or to discuss your warehousing and distribution requirements, contact David Knagge on customerservice@gmklogistics.com.au or call us on 1300 796 208.

GMK Logistics is proud to announce the company has been acquired by Perth based CTI Logistics Ltd.

CTI Logistics is a listed company that has provided transport, logistics and business services to the Western Australia market since 1974.

CTI was attracted to the transport and warehousing strengths of GMK Logistics and its reputation for great customer service.

Following extensive due diligence, the transaction was completed and announced to the Stock Exchange on 10 June 2015.

Being part of CTI Logistics will provide even greater financial stability to GMK Logistics and will give it access to a range of support services and expertise within the CTI Group.

GMK’s CEO, Derek Lightfoot, has confirmed that it will most definitely be “business as usual” at GMK.

“Whilst we are now a subsidiary of CTI Logistics, I like to think of it as a merger of two outstanding and complementary businesses. Both companies have been in business for decades, have strong family company backgrounds and a total commitment to customer service. This transaction is good for GMK Logistics, its employees and, most importantly, its customers.”