NH Liquor Commission Honored for Liquor Warehouse Innovation

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) was recently honored for its innovative partnership with DHL Supply Chain (formerly Exel, Inc.) on a state-of-the-art, 243,000-square-foot warehouse as the Best Warehouse Innovation in the 2016 StateWays Control State Best Practices Awards, according to a press statement. The only nationwide magazine devoted to issues and subjects impacting the Control State System, StateWays Magazine recognized NHLC’s partnership with DHL, the North American leader in contract logistics, for increasing productivity, enhancing operations and implementing a number of money-saving processes that have saved the state and NHLC business partners more than $7 million and helped NHLC generate a record $678.4 million in total sales last year.

In addition to Best Warehouse Innovation, NHLC received an honorable mention in the Best Retail Innovation category for its NH Liquor & Wine Outlet relocation and renovation program, a strategic initiative that resulted in the opening of seven new or refurbished stores in the past year. Since 2012, NHLC has renovated or relocated 26 stores statewide. NHLC also received an honorable mention in the Best Technology Innovation category for its in-store information kiosks, which allow customers to digitally browse the most up-to-date product information and availability, along with information on upcoming promotions, events and job opportunities.

“The New Hampshire Liquor Commission is extremely proud to be recognized by StateWays for our warehousing capabilities including a new and improved warehousing and distribution system, which has allowed us to streamline our internal processes and, in turn, better serve our 11 million annual customers,” said NHLC Chairman Joseph Mollica. “DHL’s investment in this warehouse and the process improvements implemented specifically in shipping systems have resulted in major successes for NHLC and the state of New Hampshire. I cannot speak highly enough about DHL as a partner, and we are honored to share this recognition with them.”

Based on potential for widespread efficiencies and improved service, NHLC entered into a 20-year contract in 2013 with DHL, which has invested $20 million in the 243,000-square-foot warehouse in Bow. During the past year, DHL implemented a series of improvements aimed at increasing efficiencies and overall productivity. DHL streamlined the in-house auditing process, which now allows for simple barcode scanning, rather than the laborious process of verifying each product by hand. DHL also implemented a “Bulk Pick” process that established a special location for high-volume products, allowing warehouse staff to more easily access large quantities of high-volume items, greatly improving overall efficiency. In addition, DHL instituted a new bottle-ordering program that consolidates and streamlines the pallet loading process.

"I'd like to offer congratulations to the New Hampshire Liquor Commission for being honored as a Control State Best Practices Award winner for the second straight year. They are among the top tier of agencies in the control state system, continually innovating and improving for the benefit of customers and New Hampshire residents," said Jeremy Nedelka, author of a feature article on the NHLC and DHL partnership in StateWays Magazine. “StateWays received dozens of entries from control state agencies, municipal stores, and Canadian provincial agencies. NHLC was selected as the winner of the Best Warehouse Innovation category, as well as an Honorable Mention in the Best Retail Innovation and Best Technology Innovation categories.”

In recent years, DHL has instituted a series of new services benefiting NHLC and its 11 million annual consumers, including:

• 5,000-square-feet of temperature-controlled space for fine wines and other temperature-sensitive products
• “Chimney-stacking” of outbound loads reduces time and simplifies store’s product check-in
• Outbound audit process ensures inventory accuracy and eliminates product shrinkage
• Regular communication channels and information flow with broker and vendor community to ensure the product customers want is readily available
• Fully integrated order management and warehouse management system supported by the largest IT team in the industry, which ensures greater delivery accuracy and removes the need to close for stock counts.

“With an intuitive warehouse design, streamlined processing, sophisticated IT and communication systems, instant auditing and tracking and electronic billing, our warehousing and distribution system is constantly evolving and will aid the ongoing effort to generate record revenues in support of New Hampshire’s General Fund,” said Chairman Mollica.

This is the second year in a row NHLC has been awarded a Best Practices award from StateWays. Last year, NHLC was recognized for its web ordering application. The first-of-its-kind mobile app makes it easier for both consumers to order products during NHLC events and for NHLC staff to process those orders at events. The technology has been particularly helpful at large-scale spirit and wine tastings featuring thousands of products such as the Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits and during New Hampshire Wine Week (www.nhwineweek.com), an annual week-long celebration of wine that features dozens of wine tasting events, wine dinners, celebrity appearances and educational events throughout the state each January.

The StateWays Control State Best Practices Awards launched in 2015 to recognize control state agencies that are leading the industry in innovation, education and enforcement. Any beverage control agency from the U.S. and Canada is eligible to enter the awards, which are given in six categories. In addition, one standout is selected as the overall winner, serving as a model for other agencies to follow, according to StateWays.

Submitted by the E.J. Powers.