Wal-Mart Tours New Imperial Sugar Packaging Plant
isc | Sep 29, 2009
A pallet of Dixie Crystals is readied for shipment to Wal-Mart
A recent tour by representatives of Wal-Mart to Imperial Sugar’s large refinery at Port Wentworth, Georgia, was the first customer visit to the reconstructed and modernized sugar packaging plant, located just north of Savannah.
During an in-depth briefing for the guests, Imperial Sugar President and CEO John Sheptor underscored his company’s commitment to its customers, saying that quality, service and safety – food safety and safety in production – come first. The recent recession, he said, has driven new supplier-customer trends to create new value opportunities in the supply chain, and new efficiencies.
A Wal-Mart inspection team is escorted through the new Port Wentworth plant floor.
Imperial Sugar’s objective, Sheptor said, is to be “recognized as the leading sweetener company in North America and an agile and flexible company that is the industry innovator.”
Imperial Sugar’s large and newly redesigned and modernized sugar packaging facility at Port Wentworth is an example of the company’s commitment, featuring state-of-the-art automated sugar packaging and handling systems from leading designers in the U.S., Germany and New Zealand.
Sheptor said his company is transforming a production-centric culture in refining and production to customer-centric, with emphasis on personal relationships and careful listening to the needs of customers. Imperial Sugar, he said, is “dedicated to exceeding customer metrics and standards and will be recognized for shared creativity with our customers.”
Particularly in the area of organic sugar – a segment in the food sector that has seen 17 percent growth in the last year – Imperial Sugar is excelling, Sheptor said, through its 50 percent stake in Wholesome Sweeteners and development of new organic products for consumers.
The Wal-Mart team inspects the most modern packaging plant in the sugar industry.
In the area of relationships, Sheptor told the Wal-Mart representatives that Imperial Sugar delivers value and exceeds expectations, and demonstrates supply chain excellence, value and safety. He said a commitment to flexible, open and transparent communications is practiced and respected at all levels of his company, together with a desire to build excellent rapport and trust with customers and the sugar industry as a whole.
While Wal-Mart has had Super Centers in operation since 1988, the company hopes that the relationship with Imperial Sugar can help the retail giant become more competitive in the sugar category.
Bags of sugar speed down the safest packing line in the industry.
