FALL 2015 - SUNLANDER final.indd

ISSUE 9 • SUNLAND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS
FALL 2015
CEO LETTER
IN THIS
ISSUE
CEO LETTER
QUALITY
MOMENT
LEAN
LESSON
SAFETY
MOMENT
CONFERENCE
HIGHLIGHTS
ASSOCIATE
ENGAGEMENT
PEOPLE
CELEBRATE
First I would like to extend a very warm welcome to Sunland’s newest operations teams who have joined as we expand our services to two of our loyal
customers, Wanfeng Automotive in Toledo, OH and MWV Specialty Chemicals in Covington, VA. We are all excited to have you as a part of the
Sunland family!
As we are already approaching the end of our first quarter, it is important to
celebrate and recognize that the 40% growth we achieved in the last fiscal year is the result
of a successful and collective performance by everyone at Sunland. With our new business
opportunity pipeline at the highest it’s ever been and our focus on continuous improvement
with Sunland’s Lean Initiative, I am confident we will be able to sustain this positive momentum. In addition to leading with safety, one of the most important factors to our team winning
long-term is effectively engaging our associates. In this issue I would like to focus on the
importance of this company value, “Associate Engagement.” Embracing this value is providing leadership that inspires service excellence and the ability to generate and share ideas
that will help change the game for customers. Often times the most impactful examples of
leadership and the best ideas come from our associates on the floor.
Providing Leadership
No doubt, strong Managers are essential to an excellent operation, but as we’ve all experienced, positive attitudes and encouragement from fellow co-workers can greatly affect our
performance and inspire positive change. A good example is our recent ICARE Winner,
Nickie Crow - CSR for our Eagle Road Site in Goose Creek, SC. Not only did Nickie earn this
award for her relentless focus on improving processes and providing valuable solutions for
our customer, she decided to share her award money with her team because without them,
the positive change she committed to wouldn’t have been possible. How inspiring!
Another way we can all be better leaders is by proactively seeking new learning opportunities. When you have the chance to participate in Sunland U or a certification training – jump
on it! It’s encouraging to hear that we have been receiving requests for more of these learning opportunities. I’m very excited to say that we are now providing lean training courses for
everyone on our management team and all of our associates on the floor with our partners at
LeanCor Supply Chain Group. Growing into a true learning organization is an essential part
of realizing our vision in becoming a great 3PL company.
Generating & Sharing Ideas
How many times have we all thought, “we should do it this way, not that way”? It’s rare for
somebody to understand a process better than the person who performs it daily. Every associate is expected to generate ideas and suggestions on ways to enhance safety, eliminate
waste, and improve service to Sunland’s customers. As a part of our Lean Initiative, we have
changed our suggestion program from the old hidden locked box to Voice of the Associate
Boards at every site to ensure improvement ideas are visible to everyone.
Remember, team members who are up close and personal with the daily operations
are not only our best lines of defense against service failures, they are often the
best lines of offense for innovation.
Enjoying the Journey,
Arch Thomason
CEO, Sunland Logistics Solutions
ISSUE 9 • SUNLAND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS
FALL 2015
QUALITY MOMENT
Listening is Leadership
Elijah Ray
EVP Customer Solutions
As we focus on associate engagement, I think it is helpful to reflect
on listening skills as a component of engagement. How engaged
associates are is a product in part of how well the organization listens
and interacts with what they learn from associates. The following is
a question from an anonymous source in the book, People Skills by
Robert Bolton, Ph.D. It should give us something to ponder not just
regarding associate engagement, but the relative engagement in all of
our relationships.
I often ponder over the nature of true human sincerity, true transparency….
It is a rare and difficult thing; and how much it depends on the person who
is listening to us! There are those who pull down the barriers and make the
way smooth; there are those who force the doors and enter our territory like
invaders; there are those who barricade us in, shut us in upon ourselves, dig
ditches and throw up walls around us; there are those who set us out of tune
and listen only to our false notes; there are those for whom we always remain
strangers, speaking an unknown tongue. And when it is our turn to listen,
which of these are we?
LEAN LESSON:
A Lean Leader has Respect for People
Have respect for humanity
Create a safe physical & emotional environment for learning
Educate people and transfer knowledge needed for success
Ask how can I help
Learn to see together without blame
SOURCE: People – A leader’s day-today guide to building, managing, and
sustaining lean organizations; Steve
Gran, Robert Martichencko, Walt
Miller, Roger Pearce
Build trust
Let people doing the work solve their own problems
Ask for and encourage open communication from everyone
Give people time, tools, & resources to problem solve
Challenge the team to pursue perfection
2
ISSUE 9 • SUNLAND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS
FALL 2015
SAFETY MOMENT
LOADING DOCK SAFETY
A NOTE FROM DAVID MADDEN, VP of OPERATIONS
I have one very important topic to address. Safety is a key consideration in all
parts of a Sunland facility, but the areas that typically concern me the most are
loading docks. Of all the injuries that we work so hard to prevent, trailer movement to and from our doors poses the greatest risk to our safety. I want each
of you to be aware of some recent changes that we have made to our call out
procedures that should be followed at all times. If for any reason this procedure is not followed, please
take the responsibility to call out and stop the action immediately. Many of our operations are different,
but the list below includes the actions that must be in place at all sites. Take the time to notice any differences and report your findings immediately.
1. We have a newly updated Trailer Control Procedure that should be in place now. If you are
involved in trailer movement and are not aware, see your manager immediately.
2. All drivers must report to a designated place to get their directions. No associate should
instruct a driver on trailer movement unless assigned to this responsibility.
3. Responsibility to instruct a driver to move a trailer can only be assigned to one person at
a time. If a driver asks about trailer movement, please direct those to the one person
assigned to conduct trailer movement.
4. All drivers are to remain in a designated area away from their trailers. They will not be
allowed near their trailers until released.
5. Before a forklift driver enters a trailer, they must ensure the trailer is chocked and the trailer
is disconnected. This disconnection could be by using glad hand locks or the tractor is
disconnected from their trailer.
6. Once the load is complete, the dock plate must be removed, the door down, and safety chains
must be placed across the doorway. In the event of outside loading areas, safety chains may
not be available. At this point, no one should reenter the trailer for any reason.
7. The unloader will then communicate that the door is complete to the designated person.
Before the communication to the driver, the designated associate will go outside to inspect
that the dock plate is out, the door is down, remove the chock, and then remove the glad hand
lock. At this point, the designated associate can communicate that the trailer is clear to move
from our dock and the driver can return to his trailer.
In closing, I want to appreciate all of our associates that work safely
every day. This is Sunland’s first priority. I also encourage us to look
out for your neighbor too. With a high awareness of safety and preventing
unsafe conditions, we will succeed.
3
ISSUE 9 • SUNLAND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS
FALL 2015
CSCMP’S 2015 CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Howard Shultz, CEO of Starbucks
The Starbucks Story: Performance Driven
Through the Lens of Humanity
• Culture trumps strategy. Great strategy with poor culture will
not work. Culture is key.
• Have communication and open forums designed to help
people with culture. Do this informally.
• Do everything you can to bring people along.
• Don’t define yourself by the job function you are in.
• Have the curiosity and insights to see around corners.
• Be a company aiming for the championship season. Have
an attitude of being there for the people we serve as families.
• Explore how to bring love and humanity into our meetings.
People will believe in the company and what’s in it for them.
Dave Clark, Senior VP of Worldwide
Operations & Customer Service of Amazon
It’s Still Day 1 for Amazon Fulfillment
Operate like a start up and focus on the importance of
three core ideas for fast innovation:
1. Culture of working backwards from the customer to
establish goals (Amazon publishes internal press releases
as their form of pitching new ideas.)
2. Focus on single threaded leaders (Project Managers act as
“CEOs of start-ups.)
3. Understand the difference between 1 way doors vs. 2
way door decisions. (1-way decisions need to take more
time to make because the effects are more difficult to
change, 2-way decisions should be made fast and make
changes along the way.)
Sunland Announces Partnership with LeanCor Supply Chain Group
& Celebrates LeanCor CEO, Robert Martichenko being honored with prestigious
Distinguished Service Award.
4
ISSUE 9 • SUNLAND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS
FALL 2015
ASSOCIATE ENGAGEMENT
PROVIDING LEADERSHIP
It was all hands on deck this past spring when our Eagle Road
operation in Goose Creek, SC was in startup mode. Our successful launch was a direct result of the entire group collaborating.
Supervisor Kenneth Norton played a key role as he took the
lead in developing SOPs, work instructions, and a process flow
system for the team to be able to visually manage orders using
wall mounted bins. This system allows everyone at the site to be
able to quickly and easily see what needs to be done at any given
moment throughout the day.
SEEKING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
This summer, supervisor Mike Rochester took HAZWOPER training (OSHA’s mandatory hazardous waste and emergency response training) at Environmental Resource Center in Cary, NC.
He achieved his technician level certification. Check out Mike
sporting this Level A gear complete with Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). This chemically impervious suit would allow us to respond to virtually any chemical release environment
where IDLH (immediately dangerous to life or health) conditions
were present.
GENERATING AND SHARING IDEAS
As a part of our Lean Initiative, we are changing our
suggestion program from the old hidden locked box
to Voice of the Associate Boards at every site to ensure improvement ideas are shared and visible
to everyone.
Thank you to Carla Wilson and Rick Bruns for helping design and implement this valuable tool.
Look at all of the improvement ideas our associates
from our Sulzer operation have already generated!
5
ISSUE 9 • SUNLAND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS
FALL 2015
PEOPLE: RECOGNIZE & REWARD
I
CARE
4th Quarter ICARE Winner
Congratulations, Nickie Crow!
Nickie was a true rock star during the MWV Specialty Chemicals startup at
our Eagle Road Site in Goose Creek, SC. She went above and beyond the
typical responsibilities of a CSR by helping streamline the team’s efforts over
the course of many long nights and did not shy away tackling challenges that
arose. Her organization of orders, container documents, and focus on communication has eliminated a tremendous amount of rework and last minute
requests, as well as…Nickie has taken a personal focus on becoming an SAP
expert, and has quickly become a master “trouble shooter” within the system.
Nickie’s engagement is a major reason why this startup was so successful
and she has received praise from customers on multiple occasions. We are
grateful to have Nickie on our team and part of the Sunland organization. Not
only did Nickie earn this award for her excellent service, she decided to share
her award money with her team!
Please join us in congratulating Nickie and thanking her for the
outstanding service!
ASSOCIATE SPOTLIGHT
LEON CHOICE, Dock Coordinator
Black Hawk in Greenville, SC
1. What do you enjoy the most about working for Sunland?
Being with the people that work here. Everyone is like family.
2. What’s the most challenging part about your job and how do you
overcome those challenges and still perform well?
Dealing with upset truck drivers. I deal with them by listening to their problems and I try to fix the
problem to the best of my ability.
3. What do you like to do during your time away from work, what are your hobbies?
I had a stroke last year, so I’m focused on my rehabilitation to strengthen my disability.
4. What is something most people don’t know about you?
I am the youngest of five siblings, and I have been married 23 years. When asked what he
thought was the key to a lasting marriage, Leon said, “Trust. You got to have trust.”
6
ISSUE 9 • SUNLAND LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS
FALL 2015
CELEBRATE
CONGRATULATIONS
Harrison Bridge Road
team for winning
Sunland’s 2015
Warehouse of the Year
ASSOCIATE ANNIVERSARIES
A special heartfelt thank you for all the hard work and dedication in
your service to Sunland and our customers.
Associate
Janis McLees
Pat Griffon
Ashley Lowder
Guissell Salas
Michael Crianza
Carla Graham
Ronald Kerns
Richard Smart
John Rochester
Nathaniel Blandin
Michelle Ginieis
Fred Johnson
Kenneth White
Eugene McCarroll
Clark E. Peden
Jerry J. Barrineau III
Lucy Cieply
Johnny R. Abercrombie
Clarence D. Pearson
Tyrone D. Young
Billy Hall
David Madden
Joenell Johnson
Michelle Green
Years of Service
30
14
12
10
8
8
7
7
7
7
7
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
1
3
Associate
Alva Alfaro
Clint Spicer
Charles Webb
Melvin Wright
Matthew McCullough
Randy Turner
Mary Ann Watson
Taji Sewell
Shabaka Jenkins
Richard Duane Knabe
Howard Lowe
Robert W. Newton
Robert Garton
Jose Sanchez
Leland Cox
John Staton
Kevin C. Deese
Joshua Savage
Graig Glenn
Clifton A. Varner
Eric Robinson
David Walbridge
Angel Rodriguez
Years of Service
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
7