Feeding the Force: Mastering Logistics and Global Partnerships
At EFS Ebrex, the commitment to support and sustain the U.S. military’s nutrition needs goes beyond logistics— it’s about teamwork, precision, and dedication.
EFS Ebrex is the first prime vendor outside the U.S. for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Troop Support program. The company ensure that American troops are well-fed, no matter where they are stationed in the area of operation. This milestone began with their first office in 1998, and today, they continue their mission from both Cesena, Italy, and Dubai, UAE. EFS Ebrex operates within three critical area, having been awarded three out of four by the DLA. These include land bases in Southern Europe (Zone 2), land bases in Western Africa (Zone 3), and Navy ships throughout Europe (Zone 4).
How logistics it works
The Cesena office is the nerve center for customer service. The team handles everything from customer relations and orders to logistics solutions and transportation coordination. This team diligently sends forecasts to the procurement team, ensuring that every demand is met promptly. The supply chain department has strategically split its operations between Cesena and Dubai. Their role is crucial—they receive forecasts, assess demands, and place orders with U.S. and local suppliers. The transport team then takes over, organizing the delivery of containers that carry everything from dry and frozen goods from the U.S. to fresh food like fruits, vegetables, fresh shelled eggs, dairy, and water from local suppliers.
After making deliveries, they dispatch all stock to warehouses before it reaches its final destination. The day-to-day operations are a flurry of receiving and placing orders, generating invoices, and compiling reports. Weekly reports to the DLA Command in the U.S. are a significant part of the job, ensuring transparency and efficient communication. The Cesena office maintains close contact with the DLA leadership base in Philadelphia, ensuring smooth operations and rapid problem-solving.
Working with the DLA Troops also involves participation in various events and special operations. Notable among these are the Bright Star and African Lion exercises. Bright Star, a bi-annual joint training exercise, enhances cooperation and mutual understanding of tactics, techniques, and procedures. African Lion, another bi-annual exercise, aims to improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each country’s tactics and techniques. These events heighten demand, requiring meticulous planning and a unified effort from the entire team to ensure seamless supply delivery.
