Ten undergraduate students from Niagara University’s Holzschuh College of Business Administration learned about operations at Speed Global Services, a full-service supply chain solution for domestic and global companies, during a visit to its Buffalo, N.Y., warehouse in January. The visit capped off a five-day accelerated course in supply chain management.
The Niagara group was greeted by Joe Berti, president of the organization and a member of NU’s supply chain management advisory board, who gave an overview of Speed Global’s overall business operations, including logistics, pick and pack, and storage. They also learned about the complexities of inbound and outbound freight, and the critical importance the company places on worker safety.
“The sprawling warehouse had a section of pick-n-pack services for e-commerce, a Free Trade Zone, thousands of square feet dedicated to bulk storage sacks of sugar and many other products,” said Dr. James Kling, associate professor of management. “Students saw forklift operations, an indoor railroad siding, a trailer loading area, and many safety considerations around the warehouse.”
“What impressed me most when visiting Speed Global was the friendliness of the employees and their keenness on safety in the workplace,” said student Alice Nguyen. “From the moment I arrived, the staff greeted me with friendly questions and willingness to share experiences, therefore building a positive and professional atmosphere. Most impressively, however, was the stringency in terms of safety measures that ensure that employees work in a very secure and neat environment. It gives a reflection of company culture that is concerned with efficiency and employee welfare either in teamwork or even workplace safety. Such a visit is indeed insight and an inspiration.”
In addition to Dr. Kling, Dr. Kreig Tidemann, assistant professor of finance and economics; Dr. Fernando Naranjo, assistant professor of management; Yazbeck Sarkees, faculty fellow in management; and Phillip Catanese, director of centers and college outreach, accompanied the students on the experiential learning opportunity.
