A contract renewal for warehousing and distribution management is the latest development in a significant, seven-year partnership between supply chain and logistics company Imperial Logistics and premium chocolate producer Lindt & Sprüngli.

Recognised as a global market leader, the Lindt & Sprüngli group offers a selection of products in more than 120 countries globally.

“Imperial Logistics is proud to have played a role in Lindt’s South African success story since 2011, and this contract renewal represents our commitment to constantly meeting our client’s exacting, world-class quality standards. We will continue innovating, improving and expanding our capabilities to better meet Lindt’s needs,” comments Imperial Logistics consumer packaged goods MD Purshoth Chetty.

The solutions that Imperial Logistics provide to Lindt include reefer container inbound handling, warehousing, outbound transport and distribution and reverse logistics. The value-added Imperial Logistics capabilities that enhance this partnership include co-packing services such as labelling, unpacking products down to the consumer units, kitting, repacking and display building.

Since winning its first Lindt contract seven years ago, Imperial Logistics’ partnership with the confectionery leader has gone from strength to strength. “Imperial Logistics proved then that it has the capabilities, infrastructure and commitment to quality to meet Lindt & Sprüngli’s exacting standards,” says Chetty.

He adds that, since the inception of the partnership, Imperial Logistics has not rested on its laurels, and has strived for continuous improvement aimed at delivering service enhancements and cost savings, and ensuring that its client maintains its high-quality standards and market leading position.

Imperial Logistics has invested in temperature controlled vehicles throughout the supply chain to ensure that the quality of Lindt & Sprüngli’s superior, temperature sensitive products are never compromised. All warehouses, including receiving and distribution facilities, are temperature controlled throughout. Double-rack trailers that have been incorporated into Imperial Logistics’ dedicated Lindt fleet are delivering cost savings.

Imperial Logistics undertakes continuous staff training to ensure awareness and understanding of the sensitivity of Lindt’s products. The co-packing undertaken for Lindt enhances employees’ knowledge of the products, processes and specific requirements. “Co-packing is a new business capability that Imperial Logistics is only beginning to explore, but it has proved to be a resounding success in our partnership with Lindt,” notes Chetty.

“Collaboration, persistence and the establishment of a true partnership between Imperial Logistics and Lindt & Sprüngli is the key to this seven-year-long success story, and it continues to deliver positive results,” Chetty concludes.