Short Company Background

The company visit of Kerry logistics started with an introduction to the company. From our presenters we learned that it is the biggest Asian company which is offering integrated logistics and international supply chain solutions. Its’ main office is in Hong Kong, however there are a few warehouses and offices in other Asian countries like China where Kerry has 70 warehouses. However only in Hong Kong one can find a few storage places which are divided by the products stored inside. In the Kowloon bay depot products which have any chemical hazard for the population, another one is in Wan Chai where documents are stored because of the security level in the building.

Visit Outline

The visit started in one of their off-site presentation halls. The presentation was very good and there was senior member of staff there, but he let his subordinate handle the presentation anyway. Following the introduction to Kerry and additional information, we were introduced to the headquarters in the main building. The HQ was very pleasant to the eye with the highlight of a roof-top garden. The visit then finished with a tour around one of the floors of one of their warehouses that services Disney. All-round we had a very nice experience visiting Kerry and we learned quite a few things.

Supply Chain Aspects

The newest addition to Kerry logistics warehouses is PC3, which won an award in 2012 for its design, where well-known brand names like Louis Vuitton and Cannon are stored. Also companies like Ikea, H&M, KFC, Pizza Hut, and IBM are using Kerry’s services. The entity is also offering value-added services such as packing, labelling and many others. What was surprising for me was how the company is offering its services to companies from different fields and still managing to offer the best condition for storing them. For example what we saw in the Disneyland floor was that for the food and drink department they have placed them in a room with a set temperature at 15 degrees in order to keep them fresh! Keeping in mind this information one can suggest excellence from the services offered by the company. However this means that Kerry should constantly improve and give a perfect quality assurance. In this line of thinking I should mention that almost 40% of Kerry logistics is owned by its partners.

One very important asset for the company is its road network connecting ASEAN and China which is used also by its competitors on a certain price. Moreover Kerry logistics has developed their own system which trace and store information about its client cargos which is available for the both parties- the company and the client. Even though the company is focusing strictly on its improvement and profit growing, they are trying to involve its employees in environmental projects and systems which are supposed to enhance their knowledge about current problems.

Learnings from the Visit

Through the visit we could see how presentation skills are important for delivering information especially when one stats working the business field and not only. Also the ability to discuss different matters related to the activities of a company shows devotion and understanding from the employees which are the engine of a company. Every additional skill like languages, ability to catch people’s attention and convince them is an essential attribute.

Q&A during the Visit

After the presentation was concluded we had the opportunity to ask questions about the company to further increase our understandings of its functions. We had some pre-prepared material and we started by enquiring further about the challenges ahead for the company. The employee explained that Kerry is facing the challenge of sustaining its wide-spanned operations and is currently expanding its ports and warehouse services. Another question was asked about the important factors in achieving success. The higher-standing manager present came in to answer that Kerry’s success in China where nearly 50% of its business is done speaks for itself, they are a company that is experienced in working in different environments. He explained that their trustworthiness in China is a great asset and their culture keenness abroad has also helped. When enquired about their business outside of Asia the manager pointed to their business in the UK, Australia and so on, he was very keen to stress that their existing multinational partners are mostly from non-Asian home markets and that helps. Other questions were asked as well such as could Kerry go into the service industry and why it is competitive in Hong Kong. The latter was answered with the location we were standing on, in central Kowloon they have a warehouse much closer to the big brands than most logistics companies, while the former he answered with an emphasis on their core business and a pointer to some patents which Kerry holds that it can use for expansion into the services field. Finally, their corporate social responsibility was enquired about, to which they explained that Kerry invests in schools and their most recent building is built using sustainable technology such as solar panels. Furthermore, Kerry employs programs for its employees that encourage their personal development.