Daily Tribune (Philippines)

DC keeps SM stores stocked

The SM Distributi­on Center currently serves the customers of 75 SM store branches across the country with the bulk of the distributi­on or nearly 70 percent consisting of provincial stores

- CHITO LOZADA

The 70,000-square meter SM Distributi­on Center, or DC, started from a small warehouse in Echague, Manila. It has been built with the vision of delivering the requiremen­ts of consumers.

“Previously, all the vendors delivered directly to all the branches. Through the DC, we were able to deliver all the needs of the store, making products available in all areas,” Rose Siaco of SM Store shared. Siaco led the SM Distributi­on Center from 2004 to 2022. The SM Distributi­on Center currently serves the customers of 75 SM store branches across the country with the bulk of the distributi­on or nearly 70 percent consisting of provincial stores.

Previously, all the vendors delivered directly to all the branches. Through the DC, we were able to deliver all the needs of the store, making products available in all areas.

Whether the merchandis­e is coming from Davao and going to SM Baguio, the Distributi­on Center has got it covered. For Tim Gohoc, SM Retail vice president, who is currently managing the SM Distributi­on Center, “it is through a collaborat­ion with MSMEs, customers and logistics partners that we aspire to create a seamless and eco-friendly supply chain network that minimizes environmen­tal impact while maximizing operationa­l efficiency.”

The Distributi­on Center leverages innovative technologi­es to further enhance their services and support businesses of all sizes.

“Aligned with the SM Group’s commitment to grow and enable areas outside of the NCR, coupled with today’s rising consumer demand and expectatio­ns, efficient logistics is critical in creating a delightful supplier or partner and customer experience. The

SM Distributi­on Center provides reliabilit­y of the supply chain essential to sustained economic activity,” Frederic DyBuncio, SM Investment­s Corp. president and CEO, said.

One-stop drop

A one-stop drop for SM’s suppliers — this is what the SM Distributi­on Center has become.

Burlington Industries Philippine­s Inc., the country’s biggest local socks brand, shares how instrument­al the DC was to their growth.

“When we started with SM decades ago, we were just starting out in the industry and had a small operation with a modest number of machines. Through the support of SM and our continuous innovation, we were able to grow the business.”

“Initially, we would deliver our products directly to the branches, however, as SM quickly expanded, our logistics posed some difficulty as we had to deliver to multiple branches which are very far from our factory. We were glad that SM offered the DC services so we could deliver our items hassle free,” shares Kaye Tan-Ong, head of sales and marketing, Burlington Industries Philippine­s Inc.

 ?? MENG DINGBO/XINHUA ?? EU takes a bite The European Union slapped tech giant Apple with over 1.8 billion euros (about $1.95 billion) in fines for alleged antitrust violations. An Apple Store in Brussels, Belgium is shown.
MENG DINGBO/XINHUA EU takes a bite The European Union slapped tech giant Apple with over 1.8 billion euros (about $1.95 billion) in fines for alleged antitrust violations. An Apple Store in Brussels, Belgium is shown.

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