It is celebrations all the way for Northampton based Acumen Logistics Group, which this year commemorates its 10th anniversary. From small beginnings, the company has grown to become one of the UK’s top 100 logistics companies with a turnover in excess of £20 million and employing around 200 personnel. To mark the occasion, a grand prize draw has been organised for all employees with over six month’s service with star prizes including wide screen televisions; Red Letter vouchers and ipads.
Owner and Chairman, John Hodges, purchased the company in 2004 from Autologic, which had decided to sell one of its vehicle parts distribution subsidiaries, Acumen. Believing that Acumen had a great deal of potential if it was restructured and managed correctly, he secured the company and merged it with his existing transport business, VAS.
Following the implementation of a strategic business plan to rationalise and streamline the operation and eliminate unnecessary expenditure, a new, much smaller corporate structure was established under a new management team. Equipped with the necessary hands-on experience of vehicle logistics to run it effectively and efficiently on a day-to-day basis, the company quickly grew.
The company’s primary business remains inbound European freight logistics for a range of tier one and tier two automotive clients. Acumen’s services include Just In Time (JIT) and Just in Sequence (JIS) inbound solutions, groupage services, warehouse operations and emergency freight. Services are tailored to suit customers’ needs and supported by the latest technologies and experienced staff. Clients also benefit from integrated traffic flows through a bespoke system, which helps improve/reduce load costs as well as full supply-chain visibility, real-time tracking and freight forwarding.
Acumen’s other main business division is finished vehicles. Although the company entered the industry at a time when others were failing, its investment in modern, purpose built transporters has enabled the company to provide customers with a service, fully tailored to their needs. It has also developed dynamic solutions for customers’ logistics requirements by using ground breaking vehicle operational and management systems and has extended its services to encompass new vehicle delivery to Dealers and Ports for Export vehicles as well as Enclosed transporter vehicle movements for fleets, trades shows, exhibitions and other events.
Acumen’s third area of business is its recycling division. The company brought in specialist kerbsider vehicles and developed a new Waste Transfer Station. These have provided the company with in-depth experience and expertise in the recycling industry that has helped local authorities such as Newcastle under Lyme significantly improve their recycling levels.
Commenting on the 10 year anniversary, John Hodges says: “Acumen has brought a new way of thinking to this traditional industry and is constantly challenging the old ways. This, combined with our optimised transport planning tools, allows us to deliver competitively priced, right first time, quality-driven solutions tailored to our local and European clients. In addition, our planning tools help to minimise our environmental impact and maximise productivity.
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