The Tsunami Effort Continues

February 7, 2005

There are numerous stories to tell regarding Crown’s effort to help the Tsunami victims. Crews from Jakarta to as far away as Paris, Canada and Australia joined in doing anything they could to help. If Crown employees weren’t physically working to aid the campaign, they were donating money or clearing warehouse space for international groups to use as “landing areas” for their goods.

Here are many of the stories.

In Jakarta:

Save The Children coordinator Rosslyn Cunningham needed a clean, cool and dry environment to repackage medical supplies. They also required the supplies to be trucked out when prepared. Crown’s air conditioned warehouse at Cilandak Commercial Estate in Jakarta was the perfect fit.

Students from the University of Indonesia’s pharmacy and social welfare departments volunteered to repackage the wound dressings into plastic bags for transport to Banda Aceh, Sumatra. Each contained dressings, antiseptics, ointments and bandages.

In Paris:

When word reached Crown Paris that the INSEAD College in the South of Paris needed help transporting the 12m3 of aid they collected to help set up a school in a region of Sri Lanka devastated by the tsunami, they immediately volunteered to organize the event. Three packing crew members of Crown Paris picked up boxes and arranged for transport to Hamburg via Crown’s European Transport System (CETS).

Erwin Bouman, Manager of Crown Germany arranged the final transport leg to Hamburg, where the shipment met a container bound for Sri Lanka. In addition to the 12m3 aid from France, Crown Leeds added two more boxes of aid to this shipment.

Crown Worldwide:

Crown employees all around the world donated over US $27,000, which was presented to various charities such as Save the Children and the Red Cross. Also, several Crown branches matched the total efforts of the employees.

Other News:

Crown Indonesia signed a local logistics contract with the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The contract involves trucking and warehousing of various aid goods to Soekarno Hatta airport and Jakarta seaport to Crown’s warehouse for distribution to other points depending on IRC transport arrangements.

Recently, Rick McCarthy received a phone call at his home in the evening. IRC needed a shipment of 10, 078 kg of medical kits and tents to the airport by 7am the next day! Crown’s crew mobilized thanks to the efforts of Operations Manager Deddy Bardjah and Crew Supervisor Subroto. Crown’s trucks departed the warehouse at 5:30 am to deliver the supplies. Director of Logistics for IRC, John Rickard, commented to Rick, “I want to express my appreciation for the efficiency and attitude of your team in arranging the medical kits and tents to the Halim Airport at such short notice.”

Great job by everyone involved. It shows Crowns spirit and willingness to make a difference in communities around the world.

To read more about Crown's local perspective on the Tsunami, please click here.