Raw materials warehouse
The underrated team
The team in Zeulenroda’s raw materials warehouse ensures that Production is always supplied with the right materials in the correct quantities and quality. In our interview with Sylvia Dürr, the Team Leader tells us how much coordination and team work this requires.
Sylvia, what did you think when you heard that your team was suggested for an article in Seamless Magazine?
I was really pleased, to be honest. People often underestimate how hard this team works. That’s why I’m happy to tell you more about it.
What’s the set-up of your team?
Our team includes truck drivers, disposers, pickers, and colleagues in charge of incoming goods.
What tasks do you perform?
Our main task is to supply Production with raw materials that are then processed. We don’t just work at the warehouse in Zeulenroda but also at two external Berkemann warehouses. Then there’s also the Gera site where we make deliveries three times a day. We’re always communicating with the Raw Materials Warehouse Team in Gera [see page 3]. We’re also helping when stock needs to be checked. For that, we have to know the system well and are in close contact with Purchasing. Our work isn’t just about moving pallets from A to B. Transporting finished products to Outbound Logistics and removing waste is also part of our tasks.
What is your greatest challenge?
Oh, well, we usually have to face that every week. We receive a lot of goods but only have limited space. It’s a real puzzle every time because you need to be able to get to some goods more often, but not others. Plus, the route train is a bit of an issue at the moment.
Could you explain that in a bit more detail please?
Compared to a lift truck, the route train helps us transport more goods at any one time so we can save on journeys. But we constantly have to adjust the processes to use it more effectively. Ideally, something should be loaded on every journey, and there needs to be enough space for easy access. That requires a lot of coordination. We’re in the process of optimizing that, with the help of the manufacturer as well.
What makes your team a strong team?
Everybody has to join in the thinking processes to coordinate the many operations between several warehouses and production sites – from supply to disposal. We always have to ask: Do storage spaces, stock, and replenishment quantities match? Every team member checks on these things and acts independently. It’s an amazing achievement by my team making sure that Production can run smoothly despite all the challenges. I’m really proud of my “gang”.
About Sylvia Dürr
Sylvia Dürr has been the Team Leader at the raw materials warehouse for one year. She works with 12 colleagues and a trainee. The 46-year-old has a lot of professional experience: She was a tour guide in various countries, worked seasonal jobs along the Baltic Sea as well as in Sales, and she was a Machine and System Operator. Born in Ellefeld, she ran the Logistics Department for packet soup manufacturer Knorr before joining Bauerfeind.