Day: 11 March 2019

Private investment firm TPA Capital has taken a controlling stake in Pallet-Track, a well-known name in the palletised freight industry. Pallet-Track comprises almost 90 haulier members who leverage the network to provide nationwide coverage to their customers. Established by Nigel Parkes, Managing Director, in 2002, the business now processes c.3.5 million pallets a year through its main central hub in Wolverhampton and its two regional hubs in Wigan and Welwyn Garden City.

TPA’s investment comes at a time when demand for flexible palletised logistics solutions continues to grow, with pallet networks becoming increasingly integral in ensuring regional hauliers have the infrastructure to service customers across the UK. Pallet-Track’s highly efficient sortation hubs, together with its market leading proprietary technology platform, enables its haulier members to deliver their customers dependable and high-quality service.

Commercial vehicle contract hire and fleet management company, Prohire Limited has supplied a number of temperature controlled 26 tonne rigids to Amersham-based Asco Foods. The importer and distributor of south east Asian foods has agreed a contract hire with full maintenance deal, which puts Prohire in overall charge of its temperature-controlled fleet.

The specification of the latest vehicles supplied are Mercedes Actros with sleeper cabs and Solomons dual compartment bodies and column tail-lifts.

Asco Foods is a fast-growing wholesaler of authentic fine foods from The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and the Asian region and its rapid expansion makes fleet flexibility especially important. Director Sunny Chadha explained, “As our business has evolved, we are carrying larger volumes of bulk goods. That has resulted in needing the right payload and the ability to have the flexibility of ambient, frozen and chilled products in any pallet configuration from 2 + 12 to a straight 16 pallets. Prohire appreciated the requirement and was pivotal in specifying the right vehicles.

“The ongoing service is equally important. Having had experience of working directly with a main dealership for our transport requirements, we realised contract hire with full maintenance was the better way forward. The preference is to use a one stop shop like Prohire who can offer support for the flexibility we need. Firstly, it has a fleet of alternative vehicles as and when needed, so business interruptions are minimal. Secondly, the team is very responsive and makes life easier for us from procurement to management to maintenance, genuinely going the extra mile to make sure the customer is happy.”

Prohire supplies commercial vehicles and full fleet support services to a wide range of business sectors including foodservice and catering, chilled food and pharmaceuticals, builders’ merchants, leisure retail and the brewing industry as well as to specialist logistics companies.

A delay of just one day at the UK/EU border could lead to a significant bill for British exporters in late delivery discounts and lost contracts, according to a survey of supply chain managers from the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS).

The warning from European supply chain managers comes as the UK enters a crunch week for Brexit, with the prospect of border complications looming large. While UK businesses have been slow to prepare for a no-deal scenario, EU businesses have been preparing to push costs down to their British partners.

A 24-hour delay at the border would see 20% of EU businesses push their UK suppliers for a discount on their order while 11% of UK exporters would expect to have their contract cancelled outright by their clients in the event of delays. A quarter of European businesses, meanwhile, would withhold payment until after goods arrive, posing potential cash flow challenges.

If that delay grows to 2-3 weeks, 60% of EU businesses would leave their UK suppliers in the lurch, switching to back up suppliers based elsewhere. Worryingly for consumers, considerably fewer (44%) UK businesses would be able to switch to an alternative supplier if there was a similar delay getting goods into the country. The uncertainty has already proved too much for some of the UK’s European business partners, 38% of whom have switched suppliers as a result of Brexit, up dramatically from 18% in October 2018.

The findings come from a survey of 1,749 UK and EU-based supply chain managers, the professionals responsible for navigating customs, negotiating with suppliers around the world and keeping supply chains moving.

A no-deal, meanwhile, would lead to thousands of British exporters being turned away at the UK/EU border because they lack the expertise, data or technology to comply with the relevant EU customs rules. Just 40% of UK supply chain managers say they would be able to comply with four* of the EU’s customs requirements, leaving them unable to trade with the EU if the UK left without a deal later this month.

While border complications seem likely, this has not been enough to put off all UK businesses from exporting to the EU. The survey found that 39% of UK businesses said they will continue exporting to the EU after Brexit regardless of possible delays and costs, signalling that British exporters are determined to sell their goods to the continent despite short term risks.

John Glen, Economist at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), said:

“The financial cost of Brexit indecision will not be paid in Whitehall, but by Britain’s businesses. Britain’s supply chains are so finely balanced, that even a temporary delay at the border after March 29th will see UK businesses paid later and paid less for their goods. These costs, combined with a lack of investment, will likely reduce the number of exports coming out of the UK and result in a reduction of the UK’s competitiveness on the international stage.

“If the UK does stumble out of the EU without a deal next month, the majority of British businesses would not even be able to file the right paper work to to get goods across the border. Whatever happens in the coming days, Britain must still invest in the skills, relationships and technology to take its new place in Europe and beyond.”

Synergy Logistics – the company behind the award-winning SnapFulfil warehouse management system (WMS) – has appointed a new sales manager in the UK.

James Wilmer (above) brings with him some 15 years’ experience in warehousing, logistics and software sales, having previously worked at a senior level for companies including the Road Haulage Association. Prior to joining Synergy, he was head of WMS sales for Logistex.

In his new role, James will be responsible for managing the SnapFulfil sales team and further developing business with new and existing customers. He said: “SnapFulfil is an outstanding product and ideally positioned to capitalise on the fast-moving retail environment as well as support third party logistics (3PL) providers in offering a cost effective and highly responsive fulfilment service.

“While many of its competitors struggle to keep pace with the exacting demands of modern-day fulfilment, SnapFulfil’s exceptional configurability and speed of implementation have enabled it to stay ahead of the curve for over a decade.”

James joins Synergy Logistics at a key period of growth. Following record sales in 2018, the company will this year be announcing new functionality for SnapFulfil as well as an exciting new product launch.

SnapFulfil Managing Director, Tony Dobson, said: “James has a great track record in business development and an in-depth understanding of the warehouse and logistics sector. His experience and drive will be a real asset to the business as we move forward and I am delighted to welcome him on board.”