Blog: A night to celebrate at the Hermes Retail Week Supply Chain Awards

Before we get embroiled in the seasonal madness that is peak trading, it’s important to take some time to acknowledge the brilliant achievements and innovations that have happened in retail supply chains over the past year. And there is no better celebration of these than the Hermes Retail Week Supply Chain Awards, held on September 24.

The evening celebrated the best the industry has to offer across 14 categories, from innovation to transformation.

Argos won the Supply Chain Transformation Award and the Hermes Grand Prix Award for its hub and spoke supply chain transformation, with the judges holding this up as a beacon in the retail supply chain industry. The retailer went through a massive infrastructure change project that has been instrumental in giving the Argos brand a distinct competitive advantage in this sector.

“This transformational project has meant an entire step change in this retailer’s proposition, and that is about true long-term value creation. It speaks volumes about the creativity, innovative thinking, and talent of retail supply chain teams today,” said the judges.

The awards not only honour large businesses, but those of all sizes such as Hubbub.co.uk, winner of the Award for SME Supply Chain Excellence. The judges said this supply chain innovation is a shining example of what can be achieved with drive and creativity. “It is transforming both the retail supply chain model and customer experience with its exceptionally high standard of service,” the judges said.

Supply chains are only as strong as those who work in them, and the awards also honour individuals through the MIQ Logistics Supply Chain Rising Star of the Year award, which this year was given to Michael Thomas of Dixons Carphone.

The winner of this category was singled out for his inspiring leadership as well as his dedicated approach to driving through projects that are delivering real change at Dixons Carphone.

It was a brilliant evening that saw some of the best and brightest honoured for their contribution to supply chain excellence, which will be something all companies need going into the golden quarter.

The winners

• The XPO Logistics Delivery Initiative of the Year: Evans Halshaw, Move Me Closer
• The Microsoft International Supply Chain Project of the Year: Phase Eight with MIQ Logistics, International Growth and Expansion Project
• The RELEX Solutions Supply Chain Collaboration of the Year: Tesco with Wrigley, How We Collaborated to Sell More and Lose Less
• The Cinram Supply Chain Innovation of the Year: Amazon and Smiths News with NetDespatch and Blackbay, Pass My Parcel, Highly Commended: Sainsbury’s, Cycle Safe Lorry
• The MIQ Logistics Supply Chain Rising Star of the Year: Michael Thomas, Dixons Carphone
• The Award for SME Supply Chain Excellence: Hubbub.co.uk
• The BiS Henderson Third Party Logistics Provider of the Year: iForce
• The Clipper Reverse Logistics Initiative of the Year: O2, Transforming the O2 Aftersales Experience
• The DAMCO Supply Chain Technology Initiative of the Year: Wickes, Innovative Social Supply Chain Management Tool
• The Arrow XL Fulfilment Collaboration Award: Maplin and iForce, Supply Chain Excellence through collaboration
• The Hermes Supply Chain Transformation Award: Argos, Hub and Spoke Supply Chain Transformation
  Highly Commended: EE, Managing a Supply Chain Through NPS
• The Ligentia Supply Chain Team of the Year: Screwfix Supply Chain with Wincanton
• The Award for Investment in Supply Chain Professionals: Travis Perkins in collaboration with the Cranfield School of Management
• The Hermes Grand Prix Award: Argos