A family-owned tomato products company, Stanislaus Food Products creates superior quality tomato-based food. Providing tomato goods for use in cooking from scratch, to ready-to-serve tomato products, Stanislaus only uses the best and freshest tomatoes, and doesn’t compromise on finished quality. From the start of the process, to the final finished goods in the hands of the customer, Stanislaus strives to partner with quality tomato growers and maintains high-quality standards, and uses the manpower and machinery to make it happen. But it’s not without the essential involvement from its partners like Evans Distribution Systems, and more specifically, team members like Helen Bellmore and Terry Howell.
9 years ago, Stanislaus began its search for supply chain partner in the Detroit area to provide flexible warehousing and distribution services. They needed a partner committed to meeting the high expectations of their customers and meeting the quality standards for which Stanislaus has become known. Regular damage to freight during rail transit was occurring, and they needed a solution. Evans came highly recommended by a fellow AWI member and long-term supplier to Stanislaus. Once selected, the next step for Stanislaus and Evans was to determine where and how the damage was occurring.
Configured on slip sheets, the boxes of sauce are glued together to increase stability. Terry Howell, who has been with Evans for 38 years, suggested the boxes also be stretch-wrapped, which tremendously helped with stabilizing the product during transit. In addition, a switch to higher quality airbags was recommended. These changes, coupled with a thorough root-cause analysis conducted in collaboration with the rail service provider, resulted in a 75-80 percent reduction in damage.
10 years later, the commitment to continuous improvement established early in the relationship is still in place today to guarantee high quality, damage control and excellent service. In that time, both Helen Bellmore and Terry Howell have been integral members of the team providing high-quality services, maintaining efficient communication with Stanislaus team members and anticipating potential issues. When asked about the most important aspect to remember when working on the Stanislaus account, Bellmore, an employee of Evans for 24 years, noted that keeping lot numbers in mind, staying on track with deliveries, and paying close attention to detail are the keys to success.
A member of the Stanislaus Logistics Management team member recently observed, “The quality service that Evans provides is the result of employees who truly care about their customers and the quality of their work. They consistently go the extra mile to take good care of us so that we can take good care of our customers.” Evans is extremely proud of employees like Helen and Terry whose hard work and dedication have been the foundation of this successful partnership.
Over time, as the companies grow and the relationship evolves, Stanislaus and Evans continue to work together to strengthen a partnership that aims to become even more streamlined in the future. As Howell remarked, “It’s like riding a bike. You get back up and do it the next day and do it again, and you keep getting better and better at it.”