This week, board members and company leaders met to review recent successes, plan for future opportunities and discuss opportunities for improvement. Retailers and AFS leaders discussed digital marketing, centralized production, risk management, supply chain updates, licensed-store advancement, corporate store success and other relevant subjects.
One of the main topics of discussion was Project ROAR, the company’s distribution center modernization effort. Following two days of meetings, the board of directors toured the Farr West Distribution Center to see the progress thus far and receive updates on next steps.
Justin Johnson, director of logistics and transportation, led the tours and expressed enthusiasm for the project and gratitude for the support of the board of directors. He and other distribution center leaders gave the board of directors a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the facility and shared insights into the project’s first phases.
The tour began at the Business District Ogden (or BDO) where board members observed the outside storage facility that has become the “home away from home” for many products while the Farr West Distribution center is under construction. Terri Jensen and others provided board members with an overview of how the facility is used, how products flow from the distribution center to the outside facility, etc. To date, there have been more than 110 water deliveries from the BDO and 134 case lot loads. In total, more than 6,000 pallets have shipped from the large storage building.
Following a BDO tour, the group proceeded to the AFS distribution center a few blocks away. There they learned about the completion of Phase 1A, which was the removal of racking. They also learned about the new trailer parking area. Concrete cutting, performed by Big D Construction, starts this week, with electrical work taking place in October. When complete, the system will process 65,000 cases every day.
“We are so grateful to the team members at the Farr West facility,” said Chris Gentry, member of the board of directors and owner of Madison Foods in Ennis Montana. “We recognize the monumental effort taking place and are very appreciative of the progress on this incredibly important project.”
Those wanting to learn more about Project ROAR can view additional details here.