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August 2012 23supplychainreview.com.au supplychainreview.com.au22 August 2012
warehousing & distribution ASIA PACIFIC WDS
Heart of
the matter
Rohan Meegama set up his business to be Dilmah Tea’s national distributor
and logistics provider in Australia and has come a long way since then.
Anna Game-Lopata writes
When Rohan Meegama offers me a cuppa
at his plush new office space and state-of-
the-art warehouse facility in Truganina,
Melbourne, I am interested to know if he’ll serve
Dilmah.
“Of course!” the Sri Lankan-born Meegama exclaims.
“I would never be forgiven if I gave you another brand.”
The sentiment perfectly describes Meegama’s long
attachment and deep loyalty to Merrill Fernando, owner
and founder of the Dilmah tea business in his native
Colombo.
“My late father was one of Mr Fernando’s first
employees going back to the 1950s,” Meegama
relates. “That is where the connection began. But our
commercial relationship developed more after my family
came to Australia in 1996.”
Whenever they came to Melbourne, Fernando and his
son Dilhan spent time with Meegama’s family and the
hospitality was always returned when Meegama visited
Colombo.
“Like a father, Mr Fernando would always inquire
after my family, my well-being and how the business is
faring, so we became very close,” Meegama says.
A fledgling business connection between the two men
also developed as Meegama followed his father into the
logistics industry. In 1999, on the strength of a 23-year
career in export, shipping, warehousing and transport,
he took up a management role at Link Distribution, a
third-party logistics provider for Valcorp Fine Foods,
supplier of brands such as La Gina, Sirena and Lavazza
Coffee. The same year Valcorp and Link Distribution
took on Dilmah Tea.
Later, Meegama set up Valcorp’s new warehousing
business division of BAM Wine Logistics. Re-
designing racking and distribution centre operations to
accommodate all the company’s brands.
But fate was to bring Meegama and the Fernandos
together. In 2007, BAM restructured leaving Meegama’s
supply chain manager position redundant. Meanwhile
Fernando was looking for a committed, passionate
service provider with a special expertise in inventory
“I told Mr Fernando, ‘I can look
after the business for you’.”
Asia Pacific Warehousing &
Distribution Services’ Meegama
family: from left, Ronali, Marian and
Rohan Meegama and Delani Polizzi
Like ‘Advantech Australia’ on Facebook for the
latest product information, photos, videos plus
facebook only offers and giveaways.
SCR-HH-5191051-CS-129-XCC
supplychainreview.com.au24 August 2012
warehousing & distribution ASIA PACIFIC WDS
management. Meegama offered to take control of
Dilmah’s Australian logistics operation.
“I told Mr Fernando, ‘I can take care of your logistics
and you won’t have any issues,’” Meegama says. “I
explained how I know the Thorntons at Jaix Logistics
very well and together we could have a very transparent
inventory-based system.”
Meegama demonstrated to the board of Dilmah Tea
how the principles of real-time inventory management
could work for the Australian arm of the business.
“Afterwards [Fernando] came back saying ‘Rohan, we
have confidence in you and we know you can do this’.”
Meegama made a further commitment to Fernando
by concentrating 100 percent of his efforts on Dilmah
Australia’s operation to Fernando’s satisfaction and that
of the board and Australian management team before
servicing any other customers. In return, much like a
father, Fernando personally assisted Meegama in setting
up the business.
Meegama’s personal pledge became the driving force
for his new Asia Pacific Warehousing and Distribution
Services (APWDS) business. He pulled together a tight
team comprising many long-time service partners
with whom he had built business relationships. Jaix
Logistics set up a radio frequency controlled warehouse
management system for his first facility in Reservoir,
while brothers John and Alex from Alltask Computers
managed other aspects of the company’s IT, and
Marshall & Clements took over customs brokerage.
When it came to the trucking, Meegama appointed
Cameron’s for most interstate runs and SCT Logistics in
Western Australia.
Most importantly, Meegama set APWDS up as a
family-run business. He appointed his wife Marian, an
experienced pallet controller and his twin daughters
Ronali and Delani who had worked with him at BAM
Wine Logistics for three years in customer service.
A year later, Fernando and the Dilmah Australia
management team gave Meegama the thumbs up and
soon after APWDS took on business from Ital Biscuits
and Cakes. Meegama realised his 4,000 square-metre
Reservoir warehouse did not have the capacity to handle
the new work.
Again, Meegama was able to draw from his network
in a most remarkable way. Through his church,
Meegama’s family met and became close to the Pelligras,
owners of the construction business Pelligra Holdings.
After looking at the warehouse, Gino Pelligra told
Meegama: ‘Rohan, don’t worry, I’ll get my sons to build
you one’.
The Pelligras purchased a site for Meegama at
Truganina in Melbourne’s west with good access to
freeways on the understanding they would lease it to
him with the option to buy after five years.
“Development, drawings and plans were prepared to
house a purpose-built 8,000sqm facility,” Meegama says.
With council approval in December last year, Paul
and Gino Pelligra completed the new site by March 31.
Jaix Logistics set up the new Wi-Fi terminals
and the warehouse management system. Just after
Easter, Meegama commenced moving 3,500 pallets of
stock from Reservoir gradually so as not to interrupt
operations.
Along with the extra floor space available, the new
facility boasts 1,600sqm of undercover loading.
The new Truganina warehouse is six spaces high and
incorporates an aisle with extra wide positions to cater
for the larger boxes from Ital Biscuits. Skylights provide
plenty of natural lighting for easier picking and lower
energy costs. Four brand new Toyota Material Handling
machines have been purchased for Truganina. The new
facility is now also big enough for an operations office.
With just 3,500 pallet positions currently filled in a
warehouse with 7,300, all that is left to do is attract more
customers, and Meegama says he aims to stay within the
food manufacturing space.
Given the prospect of rapid expansion, Meegama is
quick to point out the business will retain its culture.
“We will always maintain our core values,” he says.
“Even as we grow, our clients will see we are a family-
oriented operation,” he says. “As we build the business,
staff too will reap the rewards.”
Asia Pacific Warehousing & Distribution Services’ new
facility in Truganina boasts 1,600sqm of loading space

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APWDS Story

  • 1. August 2012 23supplychainreview.com.au supplychainreview.com.au22 August 2012 warehousing & distribution ASIA PACIFIC WDS Heart of the matter Rohan Meegama set up his business to be Dilmah Tea’s national distributor and logistics provider in Australia and has come a long way since then. Anna Game-Lopata writes When Rohan Meegama offers me a cuppa at his plush new office space and state-of- the-art warehouse facility in Truganina, Melbourne, I am interested to know if he’ll serve Dilmah. “Of course!” the Sri Lankan-born Meegama exclaims. “I would never be forgiven if I gave you another brand.” The sentiment perfectly describes Meegama’s long attachment and deep loyalty to Merrill Fernando, owner and founder of the Dilmah tea business in his native Colombo. “My late father was one of Mr Fernando’s first employees going back to the 1950s,” Meegama relates. “That is where the connection began. But our commercial relationship developed more after my family came to Australia in 1996.” Whenever they came to Melbourne, Fernando and his son Dilhan spent time with Meegama’s family and the hospitality was always returned when Meegama visited Colombo. “Like a father, Mr Fernando would always inquire after my family, my well-being and how the business is faring, so we became very close,” Meegama says. A fledgling business connection between the two men also developed as Meegama followed his father into the logistics industry. In 1999, on the strength of a 23-year career in export, shipping, warehousing and transport, he took up a management role at Link Distribution, a third-party logistics provider for Valcorp Fine Foods, supplier of brands such as La Gina, Sirena and Lavazza Coffee. The same year Valcorp and Link Distribution took on Dilmah Tea. Later, Meegama set up Valcorp’s new warehousing business division of BAM Wine Logistics. Re- designing racking and distribution centre operations to accommodate all the company’s brands. But fate was to bring Meegama and the Fernandos together. In 2007, BAM restructured leaving Meegama’s supply chain manager position redundant. Meanwhile Fernando was looking for a committed, passionate service provider with a special expertise in inventory “I told Mr Fernando, ‘I can look after the business for you’.” Asia Pacific Warehousing & Distribution Services’ Meegama family: from left, Ronali, Marian and Rohan Meegama and Delani Polizzi Like ‘Advantech Australia’ on Facebook for the latest product information, photos, videos plus facebook only offers and giveaways. SCR-HH-5191051-CS-129-XCC
  • 2. supplychainreview.com.au24 August 2012 warehousing & distribution ASIA PACIFIC WDS management. Meegama offered to take control of Dilmah’s Australian logistics operation. “I told Mr Fernando, ‘I can take care of your logistics and you won’t have any issues,’” Meegama says. “I explained how I know the Thorntons at Jaix Logistics very well and together we could have a very transparent inventory-based system.” Meegama demonstrated to the board of Dilmah Tea how the principles of real-time inventory management could work for the Australian arm of the business. “Afterwards [Fernando] came back saying ‘Rohan, we have confidence in you and we know you can do this’.” Meegama made a further commitment to Fernando by concentrating 100 percent of his efforts on Dilmah Australia’s operation to Fernando’s satisfaction and that of the board and Australian management team before servicing any other customers. In return, much like a father, Fernando personally assisted Meegama in setting up the business. Meegama’s personal pledge became the driving force for his new Asia Pacific Warehousing and Distribution Services (APWDS) business. He pulled together a tight team comprising many long-time service partners with whom he had built business relationships. Jaix Logistics set up a radio frequency controlled warehouse management system for his first facility in Reservoir, while brothers John and Alex from Alltask Computers managed other aspects of the company’s IT, and Marshall & Clements took over customs brokerage. When it came to the trucking, Meegama appointed Cameron’s for most interstate runs and SCT Logistics in Western Australia. Most importantly, Meegama set APWDS up as a family-run business. He appointed his wife Marian, an experienced pallet controller and his twin daughters Ronali and Delani who had worked with him at BAM Wine Logistics for three years in customer service. A year later, Fernando and the Dilmah Australia management team gave Meegama the thumbs up and soon after APWDS took on business from Ital Biscuits and Cakes. Meegama realised his 4,000 square-metre Reservoir warehouse did not have the capacity to handle the new work. Again, Meegama was able to draw from his network in a most remarkable way. Through his church, Meegama’s family met and became close to the Pelligras, owners of the construction business Pelligra Holdings. After looking at the warehouse, Gino Pelligra told Meegama: ‘Rohan, don’t worry, I’ll get my sons to build you one’. The Pelligras purchased a site for Meegama at Truganina in Melbourne’s west with good access to freeways on the understanding they would lease it to him with the option to buy after five years. “Development, drawings and plans were prepared to house a purpose-built 8,000sqm facility,” Meegama says. With council approval in December last year, Paul and Gino Pelligra completed the new site by March 31. Jaix Logistics set up the new Wi-Fi terminals and the warehouse management system. Just after Easter, Meegama commenced moving 3,500 pallets of stock from Reservoir gradually so as not to interrupt operations. Along with the extra floor space available, the new facility boasts 1,600sqm of undercover loading. The new Truganina warehouse is six spaces high and incorporates an aisle with extra wide positions to cater for the larger boxes from Ital Biscuits. Skylights provide plenty of natural lighting for easier picking and lower energy costs. Four brand new Toyota Material Handling machines have been purchased for Truganina. The new facility is now also big enough for an operations office. With just 3,500 pallet positions currently filled in a warehouse with 7,300, all that is left to do is attract more customers, and Meegama says he aims to stay within the food manufacturing space. Given the prospect of rapid expansion, Meegama is quick to point out the business will retain its culture. “We will always maintain our core values,” he says. “Even as we grow, our clients will see we are a family- oriented operation,” he says. “As we build the business, staff too will reap the rewards.” Asia Pacific Warehousing & Distribution Services’ new facility in Truganina boasts 1,600sqm of loading space