DARCICA PAINTS A PICTURE OF SUSTAINABLE DELIVERIES FOR OSMO UK
BACKGROUND
Established in 1878, Osmo Holz und Color originated as a wood and building materials company in Neheim, Germany. With over 140 years of expertise in timber, Osmo is more commonly known worldwide as one of the leading producers and providers of interior & exterior wood finishes, designed to offer optimal protection and durability. Based in Aylesbury, UK, Osmo supplies to multiple outlets and major paint distributors, including Brewers, Howdens and Wickes.
​
The company is committed to sustainability and prioritising preservation to areas it directly influences. This commitment is shown through the creation of high quality, environmentally sourced ingredients. This includes purified and refined natural renewable resources such as sunflower oil, thistle oil and candelilla wax as sustainable alternatives to animal ingredients.
THE BRIEF
Driven by its commitment to environmental responsibility, Osmo wanted to work with a like-minded logistics provider who shared its sustainability values. Darcica Logistics is locally based and passed its Mission Zero audit with flying colours – a Quality Accredited Standard for the road fleet sector (equivalent to FORS Silver) which includes a Sustainability Module aligned to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
​
Darcica advocates sustainable logistics, from optimising transportation, warehousing, packaging and distribution processes to reducing energy consumption, emissions, and waste which Osmo found highly attractive. In addition, customer service, storage options and finding a provider that could fulfil all its logistics needs were key.
OUR SOLUTION
Darcica conducted a trial with a few pallet deliveries initially, successfully leading to a near full-scale operation being agreed after a short period. Today, Darcica efficiently handles nationwide deliveries for Osmo. Daily collections take place from Osmo’s Aylesbury site where paint mixing occurs as well as deliveries and dispatches directly out of Darcica’s depot in Bicester. The company stores around 250 pallets and sends around 35 pallets per week.
Director, Anthony Tattersall, says:
“We’re delighted to be working with Osmo UK as we share similar values. Palletways UK’s easy to use portal has quality data which is helping Osmo increase sales. It displays areas where their pallets are distributed and areas where they don’t which enables them to better target sales into these new areas.”
Anthony Mason, Operations Manager, Osmo UK, adds:
“We chose Darcica because we wanted confidence that our products and needs were going to be looked after and delivered efficiently. Like us, Darcica is a local business who’s leading the way in its sector. They’re flexible and efficient and offer additional support and expertise as a member of the Palletways UK network.
​
For example, the intelligence offered by its portal, like the heat map of deliveries, is outstanding and has elevated our business. The portal’s tracking element along with delivery time visibility is important, as many customers have specific delivery time windows. The transparency of the system is invaluable so we can see where our products are going and when they’ll be delivered.”