Mar 7, 2008

New Alliance to Enhance Efficiency in Supply ChainSource: IHA

In this fast-changing industry, the need to increase efficiency and accuracy in the supply chain has become more vital than ever. As a direct response to changes within the industry, three distributors – BWI Companies, Inc., Griffin Greenhouse and Nursery Supplies, and BFG Supply Co. – recently formed an independent organization called the Integrated Horticultural Alliance (IHA). According to an IHA press release, its mission is to remove redundancies and inefficiencies that drive input costs up.

“Widespread changes throughout the industry really have necessitated the creation of IHA,” states BFG’s President and CEO Rob Glockner. “The main purpose for these three companies to come together to form IHA is to offer more value to all of our grower customers at less cost,” he adds.

IHA will enable BWI, Griffin and BFG, leading distributors in each of their respective sales regions, to work with their manufacturers to increase efficiency and accuracy in the supply chain.

According to IHA, “Creating customer service measurements and goals based on the unique needs of growers is also at the heart” of their mission. By better understanding the needs of customers, IHA will be able to work within the supply chain to improve service to growers through reductions in errors, duplicity and confusion.

“We see a lot of potential with IHA to drive positive change and eliminate waste in the supply chain,” says Jim Bunch, co-president and chief operating officer of BWI. “It will affect every level of the supply chain, and ultimately improve service and value to the grower.”

For more information on IHA, contact Rob Glockner, BFG Supply Co., at rglockner@bfgsupply.com; Jim Bunch, BWI Companies, Inc., at jimbunch@bwicompanies.com; or Craig Hyslip, Griffin Greenhouse and Nursery Supplies at chyslip@griffinmail.com.