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SCI Wins “Overall Analytics Solution of The Year” Award From SupplyTech Breakthrough

SCI, a leading Canadian 3PL provider specializing in e-commerce fulfillment and transportation management, announced today it is the recipient of the “Overall Analytics Solution of The Year” award in the annual SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards. The awards, conducted by SupplyTech Breakthrough – a leading independent market intelligence organization, evaluates and recognizes standout technology companies, products and services in the supply chain technology and logistics industry around the globe.

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SCI Releases 2021 Sustainability Report

TORONTO (ONTARIO), November 2, 2022 – SCI Group, a leading Canadian 3PL specializing in e-commerce fulfillment and transportation management, released their 2021 sustainability report today, which summarizes the company’s sustainability activities, and achievements from calendar year 2021. This inaugural report reflects progress made in SCI’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) journey, helping Canada meet its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

This is the next evolution on SCI’s ESG journey that started two years ago, focused on reducing its environmental impact (our planet), investing in local communities (our communities), and advancing a safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace (our people).

The 2021 report highlights SCI’s progress on their ESG responsibilities as they put strategies in place, make investments, and build positive momentum towards their goals. This includes establishing 2021 baseline greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) inventory, which it had verified for the first time by a third party. In addition, the report highlights a multi-year equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging strategy, and outlines support for their community partner, the Canadian Red Cross.

“We are pleased to share our first sustainability report that shows significant progress towards our goals around climate action, zero waste, community support and championing our people” said Chris Galindo, President and CEO, SCI. “The report is a testament to the steps we are taking to make our people, our planet and our communities even better. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and how far we’ve come in such a short time.”

2021 Achievements

  • “ Zero Lost Time Incidents” achieved at 78% of SCI facilities
  • SCI is in the top 25th percentile for exemplary safety results within their industry group; in comparison to the overall standards from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC)
  • Recognized as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures for 2021 by Waterstone Human Capital
  • 86% of our employees reported feeling a sense of belonging in equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) survey and focus groups
  • Diverted 96% of our waste from landfill, of which 68% was recyclable
  • Electricity and natural gas emission intensities were lower than the national average for Canadian warehouses
  • Shipped 20M+ pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) for charitable partners including:
    • 5M face masks
    • 12M pairs of gloves
    • 255,000 bottles of hand sanitizer
  • Helped deliver 1M PPE masks to 100+ community organizations

For more information on SCI’s achievements, please visit sci.ca/sustainability or download the 2021 Sustainability Report.

 About SCI:

SCI makes North American businesses even better by offering our clients a suite of innovative supply chain solutions in the omni-channel retail, technology, health, beauty and wellness sectors.

Across Canada’s most extensive national distribution and transport network, SCI manages complex logistics for both Canadian and North American clients. We pride ourselves on adding value to clients’ business with our commitment to reducing costs, risks and complexity through continuous improvement, business intelligence, analytics, and transparency. We give our clients the competitive advantage they need to grow their business.

SCI’s tagline “We’ll make you even better” is a commitment today from a business that’s leading clients into tomorrow. As a trusted strategic partner, our team is dedicated to understanding the unique intricacies of our clients’ businesses, providing end-to-end management of the entire customer experience. We have the North American expertise and 30+ years experience to deliver on this commitment and keep our clients steps ahead of their customers’ expectations.

For further information, please contact:

SCI | http://www.sci.ca| Natasha Wookey | natasha.wookey@sci.ca

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SCI Partners with Bench to Launch New North American Distribution Model for their ECommerce Business

TORONTO (ONTARIO), September 14, 2022 – SCI Group, a leading Canadian 3PL specializing in e-commerce fulfillment and transportation management, has partnered with Bench, an athleisure clothing brand, to create a cross-border ecommerce fulfilment solution for the U.S. market leveraging duty savings made available through Section 321. This direct-to-consumer strategy enables Bench to deliver to e-commerce customers in the U.S. directly from Canada, creating cost efficiencies without any impact to delivery times.

Beginning in early 2021, SCI and Bench have built their relationship based on trust, strategic planning and proven results through the expansion of Bench’s Canadian, coast-to-coast wholesale business. This led to a new opportunity to expand Bench’s business into the USA with the SCI team building out a cross-border solution through their expertise in southbound ecommerce fulfillment and Section 321.

“We’ve had a great experience partnering with SCI to develop a new coast-to-coast distribution strategy for our Bench brand that services both the Canadian and U.S. direct to consumer market,” says Victor Levis, CFO/COO at Freemark Apparel Brands International. “SCI’s team worked closely with us to help us understand the benefits of Section 321 and guided us through the process from start to finish. Thanks to their expertise we’ve been able to expand our business and conveniently reach U.S. consumers.”

Section 321 is an exemption in the Canada-US-Mexico free trade agreement that allows shipments of products valued at $800US or less to enter the U.S., from Canada, duty free. For direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce retailers, this offers an opportunity to reduce their cost per unit through waived or refunded import duties on items that enter Canada bound for U.S. recipients, without effecting the customer experience.

“We’re thrilled to be able to drive this North American e-commerce strategy for Bench from Canada,” says Dave Mack, Vice President, Omni-channel Retail at SCI.  “By consolidating distribution in strategic centers in Canada, Bench is able to reduce their inventory carrying costs and turn products faster, while driving out duty and tariff costs”

To learn more about Section 321 and how SCI can help reduce your cross-border costs, please visit:  https://www.sci.ca/section-321

About Bench:

Inspired by an active 24-hour lifestyle, Bench is a brand that designs, sources, and markets clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. Born in the heart of Manchester, England, it originated in the late ‘80s as a niche t-shirt brand, taking influence from the music and the skate scenes. Bench is dedicated to design clothing that embraces individuality and supports all lifestyles. From heritage hoodies to iconic track suits, Bench’s wardrobe staples focus on multipurpose components that meet the modern needs of city dwellers. Learn more at Bench.ca.

About SCI:

SCI makes North American businesses even better by offering our clients a suite of innovative supply chain solutions in the omni-channel retail, technology, health, beauty and wellness sectors.

Across Canada’s most extensive national distribution and transport network, SCI manages complex logistics for both Canadian and North American clients. We pride ourselves on adding value to clients’ business with our commitment to reducing costs, risks and complexity through continuous improvement, business intelligence, analytics, and transparency. We give our clients the competitive advantage they need to grow their business.

SCI’s tagline “We’ll make you even better” is a commitment today from a business that’s leading clients into tomorrow. As a trusted strategic partner, our team is dedicated to understanding the unique intricacies of our clients’ businesses, providing end-to-end management of the entire customer experience. We have the North American expertise and 30+ years experience to deliver on this commitment and keep our clients steps ahead of their customers’ expectations.

For further information, please contact:

SCI | https://www.sci.ca| Natasha Wookey | natasha.wookey@sci.ca

Bench | https://www.bench.ca| Michael Routtenberg | mrouttenberg@fabinc.ca

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Press Release: SCI Named One of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures™

Toronto, ON – December 2, 2021 – SCI Group Inc. (SCI), a leading Canadian third-party logistics company (3PL) who specializes in Business to Consumer (B2C) Supply Chain solutions, has been recognized as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ by Waterstone Human Capital, Canada’s leading cultural talent management firm.

The national program, now in its 18th year, annually recognizes best-in-class organizations across all sizes and sectors that foster high performance corporate cultures that help sustain a competitive advantage.

“I am extremely proud that SCI has been selected as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures,” said Chris Galindo, CEO at SCI Group Inc. “This award highlights just how integral an organization’s culture is to its success, and that our people truly are our greatest asset.”

As one of only 10 Canadian organizations awarded in the mid-market category this year, SCI was recognized for making significant investments that shifted the organization’s culture and elicited change with proven results. This included a commitment to a four-year cultural transformation to become more of a people-centric organization, which was successfully modelled through all business operations. This included the development of robust programs in people development and talent management, as well as Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) and Environmental Social Governance (ESG) initiatives with substantial employee involvement.

“Over the past few years, the team at SCI has worked hard to establish a clear set of shared values and behaviours that unite all employees under a common purpose,” added Galindo. “Winning this award would not have been possible without our employees, who bring our culture to life every day through their dedication, hard work, and commitment, all of which make SCI better every day.”

The award is based on a rigid set of criteria and a lengthy review process conducted by a Board of Governors comprised of CEOs and Senior HR Leaders from across Canada. For more information, please visit canadasmostadmired.com.

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About SCI

SCI is Canada’s leading end-to-end, B2C supply chain partner. For more than 30 years, our clients in omni-channel retail, technology, health and wellness have trusted us to give them a competitive advantage. Across the most extensive national distribution and transport network in Canada, including over 30 distribution centres and 40 critical parts stocking locations coast to coast, SCI manages complex supply chains for its customers handling more than $1 billion in inventory every day.

Our team is dedicated to understanding the unique intricacies of our clients’ business, providing end-to-end management of the entire customer experience. We’ve got the Canadian experts, infrastructure, and experience to deliver on this commitment and keep our clients steps ahead of their customers’ expectations. As your trusted supply chain partner, we’ll make you even better.

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Self Service Kiosks Grow in Popularity Across Canada with No Signs of Slowing Down

SCI and Signifi Proprietary Research: Half of Canadian Organizations Have Increased Investment in Kiosk Technology Since 2019

TORONTO, October 7, 2021 – New proprietary research from SCI Group Inc. (SCI) and Signifi Solutions Inc. (Signifi) reveals that investment in self-service technologies is exploding as Canadian businesses seek safe distancing, touchless transactions and a simple, intuitive user experience for employees and customers during the pandemic. Half of respondents say their organization actually increased investment in kiosk technology prior to the pandemic, with three-in-ten saying their investment level has increased by more than 15 per cent since 2019.

As part of this research, SCI and Signifi commissioned a survey with Angus Reid to explore actual and planned investments in kiosk technology among Canadian organizations, in several sectors, to identify key trends. It uncovered three significant insights: 1) the pandemic propelled short-term kiosk investment; 2) a focus on digital transformation will continue to drive long-term investment; 3) user satisfaction is the primary motivator for investing in kiosks, which include self-checkout terminals, interactive maps, vending machines and employee check-in devices.

Short-term Kiosk Investment Driven by the Pandemic

The pandemic has been a clear impetus behind investments in self-service technology. Among those who say their investment has increased in the past 12 months, 61% identified the COVID-19 pandemic as a significant or moderate factor in their decision. For the healthcare sector, the primary application of kiosk technologies was for check-in purposes to help improve customer wait times.

Changes in Self Service Kiosk Spending

“The pandemic drove more people to use kiosks, which increased their comfort level with the technology and is leading to even better user-centric design for the next generation of devices,” said Peter Collier, Vice President, Technology, SCI Group. “We expect that increasing user comfort with kiosks and ongoing design improvements by kiosk manufacturers will continue to drive adoption.”

Digital Transformation Driving Long-Term Investment

While the pandemic played a key role in increased interest and investment in the self-service space, there are no signs of this growth slowing down. Nearly half of Canadian businesses are already deploying self-service technologies, and another third plan to deploy kiosks or some form of self-service technology in the next 12 months.

Canadian businesses are including kiosk technology as part of their digital transformation strategies, with 77% of organizations stating kiosk technology to be important to their business in the next five years.

“There’s a new appetite for automation and kiosk technologies, part of which may be attributed to the shift in user habits that has stemmed from the pandemic,” says Jamie McDowell, Vice President of Marketing at Signifi Solutions. “More and more Canadian consumers and employees seem to appreciate the simplicity and interactivity provided by kiosk technologies. Organizations are seeing this shift and including kiosk technology in their digital transformation plans.”

User Experience Fueling Kiosk Investment

Interestingly, the key business drivers for investing in kiosks are all about people, at least in the short term. According to the research, the primary motivator for businesses when investing in self-service technologies is customer and employee satisfaction, with 63 per cent of businesses identifying this as a top driver. This was particularly noted in the retail industry, where 90% of respondents said one of the main benefits they’re seeking from kiosks/self-technology is better customer flow.

Expected Self Service Kiosk Benefits

 

“This research shows that organizations are looking for more than efficiency; they want to reduce customer wait times and improve the flow of people through stores and workplaces. Many are also looking to expand beyond transactional experiences to make kiosks part of an omnichannel infrastructure,” Collier says. “This also marks an important step forward for self-service technologies underscoring the shift away from thinking of kiosks as simply a cost and efficiency play – though both remain important drivers for buyers.”

To learn more about the adoption of kiosk technology in Canada, changes in spending, drivers and key outcomes of investment, The 2021 Canadian Kiosk Market Report is available here: https://www.sci.ca/resources/2021-canadian-kiosk-market-report/

Research Methodology

This research was conducted on the online Angus Reid Forum among 102 business decision-makers for purchasing kiosks/self-service technology, including those whose company/organization or clients have already invested in such technology and those with plans to invest in the next 12 months. The sample includes professionals in the following industries: manufacturing, retail, transportation, healthcare, management consulting, property management and public sector fields.

For comparison purposes only, a sample of this size would yield a margin of error of +/-9.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The research was conducted in English and French between May 27 and May 31, 2021.

About SCI Group

SCI is one of Canada’s leading providers of strategic supply chain solutions that go beyond traditional logistics services. With decades of experience in the technology industry, our experts can help build an end-to-end supply chain solution for your self-service technologies. From ATM installations to POS terminal repairs, we help leading Canadian brands delight customers and stay agile.

Having reliable technology is key to customer experience and employee productivity. Our certified technicians will help you maximize uptime with 24/7 support and repair services. Furthermore, our coast-to-coast warehousing, transportation and parts locations ensures you remain responsive to your business needs no matter the time of day.

Trust our experts to support your kiosk needs with full project management in logistics, compliance, security, maintenance, installation and parts management. Connect with our experienced team to plan for today’s needs and tomorrow’s opportunities. As your trusted supply chain partner, we’ll make you even better.

About Signifi Solutions Inc.

Signifi Solutions is a leader in delivering smart vending, self-serve kiosks, and automated retail solutions globally. Founded in 2005, Signifi designs, engineers, and develops robotic based dispensing kiosks, smart lockers and loss prevention hardware customized for any application. We are steeped in continuous innovation and marketplace collaboration to bring you the most innovative and technologically advanced smart vending hardware and software available.

Signifi’s VISION platform management tool and robust API library give our clients more time to focus on what matters most. VISION manages every aspect of our kiosks and lockers through an intuitive web interface.  Our customers can change prices, user rights, schedule content updates and even remotely access kiosks to support local staff. VISION uses advanced AI techniques and machine learning technology to monitor every aspect of traffic and user input. The powerful analytics tools help optimize operations, merchandising, and forecast sales.

Media Contact:

Hayley Suchanek

Kaiser & Partners

Hayley.Suchanek@kaiserpartners.com

289-681-2477

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SCI Awards of Excellence Winners 2021

Every year SCI holds awards to recognize our employees for their contributions to SCI’s continuous improvement program. This program encourages employees to implement initiatives that benefit the company and our clients such as reducing waste, improving safety, fostering a better work environment, or enhancing customer experience.

From finding new ways to improving performance, sharing expertise, and developing talent, we had over 1,600 ideas, submissions, and projects in 2020. We’re proud of our employees and their dedication to operational excellence.

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s SCI Awards:

 

1st Place: Dalal Yousef

Dalal redesigned the space and workflow for one of SCI’s clients, improving the accuracy, productivity, and efficiency for the outbound operations.  This is a wonderful example of how a focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives can make a huge difference for our organization and our clients.

 

2nd Place: Mohsin Mogra

Mohsin developed a new process at our Vipond facility that decreased waste, increased efficiency, and reduced costs. This is a great illustration of embracing our culture values of ‘operational excellence’ and ‘achieving together’.

 

 

3rd Place: Ron Stortini

Ron received this award for his incredible work automating operations for one of our retail clients. He not only sourced technology that delivered immediate safety improvements, improved productivity and significant time efficiencies, but kept up with our client’s ambitious long term growth plan.  Ron’s leadership with our clients exemplifies our ‘achieve together’ cultural value.

 

Congratulations to all our winners. You make SCI and our clients even better!

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