FAST Logistics Group, the Philippines’ leading end-to-end logistics company, is the one-stop shop for a multitude of innovative solutions. We examine its admirable work in the fields of analytics, last mile delivery, cold chain preservation, technology, and warehouse management.
FASTER, FURTHER, TOGETHER
FAST Logistics Group (FAST) was born eight decades ago through one man in the Philippines, William L. Chiongbian, and his lifelong dream to own a ship.
Chiongbian grew up helping his father in the copra trading industry, where he enjoyed working onboard such vessels. In his mid-20s, he chartered an outrigger and began peddling a mixture of dried fish, sugar, and cigarettes, before gradually expanding to an entire business and impressive fleet of 15 ships.
From such humble beginnings, his operation rose to become the most profitable shipping company in the Philippines by the 1970s.
In 2003, the group divested from shipping to focus on growth opportunities presented in logistics, warehousing, distribution, car dealerships, and realty.
Logistics concerns every facet of the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and point of destination to meet customer and corporate requirements.
Today, with 50 years of experience, FAST stands at the forefront of end-to-end logistics and supply chain management in the Philippines.
Leveraging its extensive network, the company provides a comprehensive range of solutions encompassing transport, warehousing, and selling distribution.
As such, FAST also operates the greatest warehouse footprint in the country, the largest fleet of trucking transport, and the widest selling and distribution network, with over 13,000 employees covering 94 percent of the nation’s provinces.
The Philippines, a vast archipelago of over 7,000 islands, presents a unique geographic challenge for all sorts of logistics operations such as last mile delivery.
Navigating delivery routes through diverse terrains, from urban landscapes to rural areas and remote islands, requires high levels of strategic planning and resource allocation from companies such as FAST.
The fragmented nature of the country’s geography often leads to increased travel times and logistical complications, making efficient, logistically sound delivery a daunting task.
This task, however, is one that FAST meets head-on with confidence through its myriad offerings, vast experience, and personalised solutions.
COLD CHAIN PRESERVATION
The cold chain industry plays a critical role in various aspects of the Filipino economy and public health, as well as ensuring the integrity of temperature-sensitive goods, which is crucial for business success.
This is particularly important for sectors such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology, where maintaining specific temperatures can spell the difference between a safe product and significant financial loss.
Thus, investing in reliable temperature management and intelligent cold chain solutions has become a critical component of safeguarding products, protecting profits, and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.
Companies now depend on logistics providers such as FAST to guarantee the quality and safety of their goods throughout the entire process, from cold storage all the way to transportation.
It is FAST’s belief that all Filipino supply chain professionals and business owners should be informed of the current state of the cold chain industry and actively seek innovative strategies to enhance their logistics operations.
DEFYING DISRUPTION
FAST understands that in an unprecedented era of disruption, every business model, supply chain, and vertical is affected without notice.
However, while most struggle to see beyond the risks, the company instead highlights new opportunities and the potential for untapped innovation.
In this way, FAST operates an extensive network of warehousing, selling, distribution, and transport solutions covering inland, air, sea forwarding, and courier services across the islands to help its customers reach the furthest regions of the Philippines.
To this end, the company firmly believes that attention to detail can be a force for good.
As a result, FAST obsesses over its people and customers, whilst also endeavouring to innovate its processes and the solutions it offers.
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU
Elsewhere in the company’s impressive logistics portfolio, Sales Force Automation (SFA) by FAST is designed to provide customers with advanced analytics, real-time data access, and seamless management of sales teams.
Developed by the Philippines’ leading company in selling distribution solutions for global and local brands, this software not only streamlines logistical processes but also taps into local insights, aligning perfectly with the unique needs of businesses across the nation.
Additionally, SFA by FAST is equipped with GPS tracking and a customisable store-locking feature. This ensures that the salesperson is physically within the designated radius, thus safeguarding the integrity of store databases and legitimising all sales.
Meanwhile, FAST also continues to power intelligent distribution and fulfilment centres across the Philippines.
Enabling the company’s expertise in this area is its warehouse management system (WMS), which is designed to optimise and streamline distribution and fulfilment centre operations.
The WMS provides comprehensive tools for managing and controlling various aspects of warehouse activities, including inventory management, order processing, picking, packing, shipping, and overall performance.
FAST stands proudly at the forefront of this innovation, employing the WMS to manage its distribution and fulfilment centres nationwide, resulting in a more efficient and customer-centric supply chain ecosystem.
At present, FAST is the sole local system implementer of Honeywell’s WMS in the Philippines.
With a technology-minded approach, FAST continues to pioneer innovation and solutions in all facets of Filipino logistics, ensuring that everything it does is future-proofed and continuously advancing.
