Welcome to our first Logistics Supplement of 2019. The UK logistics industry as we know it came into being in 1944, the year of the first D Day, when our warehousing companies formed a Committee to discuss the storage and distribution of food and materials in wartime Britain. The resulting Association became UKWA, which today is the UK’s leading logistics body with over 700 member companies, including third party logistics operators, major retailers and manufacturers. So as we face the challenges of Brexit, here’s to the UKWA members and the rest of the logistics industry delivering the goods once again.
Our logistics companies were doing business with the rest of the world long before anyone talked about leaving Europe. Suttons Japan was set up in 1998 as a joint venture with UKbased Suttons International, logistics providers to the chemicals, gases, fuels and food sectors. Similarly our Pallet networks continue to lead the world. Palletways, Europe’s largest and fastest growing pallet network, has expanded its delivery services into Sweden, Finland and Norway, in partnership with PostNord, the Nordic region’s leading logistics supplier, which has used Palletways’ services across Europe since 2011.
And don’t forget the independent carriers, who play a major part in our logistics industry. Twickenham-based P&S Logistics, which has just secured FORS Bronze accreditation, specialises in carrying temperaturesensitive loads throughout the UK and across Europe. Owner-operator Phillip Hudson has just taken delivery of a custom-built Schmitz Cargobull drawbar trailer and can now accommodate an extra 12 pallets per journey. We wish him well. Here at home, the growth of online shopping is changing the face of retail, but also means business is booming for our logistics specialists. Walker Logistics, in conjunction with long term client Kavis, has been appointed to manage order fulfilment for Uber Eats, the online food ordering and delivery platform.
Another success story, Northamptonshire-based Cygnia Logistics, who specialise in online retail support, has invested over £500,000 in picking and fulfilment capabilities and plans to expand further in 2019.
As concern builds over bottlenecks in the Port of Dover and the amount of trucks on our motorways and what the situation might be like after Brexit, our other ports are strengthening their propositions. The Port of Tilbury, London’s major port, has reinvigorated its rail freight offering to introduce regular intermodal services to the Midlands and Scotland and create a dedicated bulk rail terminal, and is looking to establish a rail connection within their proposed new 152-acre deepwater port terminal, Tilbury2.
Further north, the Port of Grangemouth’s third container crane joins the Forth ports’ fleet, part of a £10m programme to increase handling capacity and service by ensuring a faster turnaround for cargo. Over £6 billion worth of goods currently passes through Grangemouth each year including food and drink, chemicals, timber, paper and equipment for the oil and gas industry.
With so much going on, this looks like being a transformational year for the logistics industry, with freight data visibility and the continued building of industry partnerships being the key priorities. We’ll keep you updated in our next Supplement.
JAMES SURRIDGE
Publishing Editor
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