Home Direct has appointed Mike Richards as distribution and logistics manager to support the company’s rapid growth, particularly online and in the South Island.

Richards joins Home Direct following four years at Atlas Steels where he worked with other members of the management team to streamline and improve efficiency of the nationwide operations team and warehouses.

Prior to this he held various middle and senior operations and logistics roles in New Zealand.

Jodi Comrie, GM of Home Direct, said says Mike’s skills and strengths in people leadership and mentoring, process redevelopment, issue resolution, and formal training in lean warehouse best practice will be a huge asset to Home Direct.

“We have experienced exponential growth recently, leading us to hire 15 new staff members and double our East Tamaki warehouse floor space. Part of this growth has included the launch of our online store last year and an increase of our mobile shop fleet, which will grow to 72 nationwide by the end of the year,” says Comrie.

Richards’ main roles and responsibilities will be to implement and run the new warehouse management system and associated functions between departments, redevelop and implement new modern warehouse processes and practices to ensure the distribution centre can handle Home Direct’s growth, develop and implement a team structure including succession planning across the operation, and ensure the company health and safety policy and practices are adhered to.