Interview with Miroslav Klena
| Mr. Miroslav Klena is a logistics manager at dm-drogerie markt Slovakia. He studied Process Automation and Informatization in Industry at the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology at the Slovak University of Technology in Trnava. Mr. Klena started his journey at dm-drogerie markt in 2005, and he has been working for dm-drogerie markt Slovensko ever since. He worked across different departments such as IT, operations, and logistics, where he held a leading position in several divisions and worked on various projects. Since 2016, he has been working as a logistics manager. Today, he is responsible for central warehouse distribution and receiving good, product management, and IT support in the central warehouse dm-drogerie markt. |
| 1. What do you consider to be the biggest obstacles to the development of distribution in Slovakia? Not sufficiently built road and railway infrastructure are considered the biggest barriers to the development of distribution in Slovakia. The state has delayed building road infrastructure for several years as some projects did not anticipate the current dynamics of operations or are no longer sufficient to meet the current requirements. Likewise, transporting goods by rail is almost impossible under the current circumstances. We are talking here mainly about rail freight transport, which would also have a positive impact on the environment, however, the incomplete or even poorly designed train terminals are a hindrance to the development of freight transport in Slovakia. 2. What innovations have you successfully implemented within the supply chain? We have successfully implemented various innovations within the supply chain. These innovations are supported by the entire dm concern, where several “dm” countries cooperate on projects together. Regarding the implementation of the data flow in our information system, all the data is combined in one information system. Subsequently, by processing various statistics or different evaluations, we can easily decide on the necessary changes in our supply chain. Our suppliers have the access to those data as well, and therefore we can create a distribution strategy together. 3. Tell us about key areas in Logistics/Supply chain where DM can improve the most and why? Probably the biggest gain was changing the supply chain strategy of our branches where we significantly improved the availability of our products for our customers. In this case, it was all about collaboration across several departments, where cooperation was required in the distribution, cash flow, and, last but not least, in the creation of layouts. 4. What is your opinion about positioning WOF EXPO in the Central and Eastern Europe region? We definitely welcome this fact. Logistics is a very fast-growing industry, and it is extremely important to stay on top of the latest trends and news in the world. We also see this as a very good opportunity to establish new business partnerships at the WOF Expo 2021. 5. What will be the impact of Covid19 on the further development of business in dm-drogerie markt? As for the impact of Covid-19 on further business development, it is most likely to be similar to other companies in the retail sector. Especially when it comes to the development of e-commerce, which has grown severely, and much more than our estimations and forecast growth before the pandemic would guess. Our customer’s preference when it comes to the shopping cart has also changed. That is why we must respond to this situation by adjusting the layouts in our stores, where bulk goods are sold more, as well as by adopting certain processes in logistics. |
 | Dm drogerie markt is one of the largest companies in Central and Eastern Europe that sell drugstore goods. A chain of retail stores headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, sells cosmetics, healthcare items, household products and health food. The company is known for its flat hierarchical structures and high level of social commitment. The first store in Slovakia was opened in 1995 in Bratislava. It currently has more than 150 stores in Slovakia. The company’s headquarter in Slovakia is located in Bratislava, and the central warehouse is currently located in the Prologis logistics park in Senec. The assortment in dm includes thousands of products from which customers can choose in the categories: care and fragrances, decorative cosmetics, hair care, household, health, nutrition and organic food, supplies for children and parents or supplies for animals. mojadm.sk |