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Month: August 2025

AI Freight Perspective

Posted on by David Priestman

AI is neither mythology nor panacea. Visibility and efficiency in transport shipment can be enhanced further, Transporeon’s Bernhard Schmaldienst tells David Priestman.

“Bad processes with AI are still bad processes,” Schmaldienst, Director of Operations – Freight Procurement and Audit, stated when we met at the vast Transport Logistic Munich exhibition. He is a believer in the transformative power of AI – that it will deliver savings, add value and change staff roles for the better. The software market currently serves office businesses (e.g. by SaaS) but in the near future software will be used by other software: AI agent to AI agent.

“Taking a large language model (LLM) and adding a bit to call it AI isn’t true AI,” he says. “Machine learning, rather than just autonomous procurement, is real artificial intelligence. AI now has a conversational style, it feels like how humans interact, not fake but natural.”

Border Status Maps

Transporeon’s new live border status maps, using parent company Trimble’s maps engine, are for enhanced visibility. “We actively track half a million trucks daily, so we can analyse and predict the cause of traffic jams,” Schmaldienst explains. “Machine learning predicts the delays, creating a statistically-aggregated overview. Our products make immediate use of these problems to adjust ETAs.”
What about risk management and random customs checks, like those reintroduced by German recently, causing major backlogs? “We can’t plan for black swan events,” he admits, “but we can predict the length of stops. Bad luck situations and lower probability events are tricky, of course.”

Validate & Monitor

I asked Schmaldienst (pictured, below) about the takeover by telematics giant Trimble. “It’s so complementary,” he reveals. “Trimble serves carriers, we serve shippers, so we’re therefore bringing both sides together, as well as both geographies (North America and Europe). We’ve learned from the maps layer expertise of Trimble.”

Transporeon is working on integrating AI into its transport management platform product suite, for example to issue support tickets to customers. “We’re adding knowledge data. The answer drafts are AI generated, but a human agent then uses this to revert to the customer,” he clarifies. “It’s faster, but checked by a customer service person and the AI learns from that editing or validation. Much of our code is AI generated.”

Cyber security is a hugely problematic challenge for many large businesses right now, including retailers, manufacturers and logistics operators. “The number of hits has exploded,” Schmaldienst states. “The more we automate, the better we should be able to prevent leaks and hacks. We love software, we own it but we need to know what’s going on. We need to know that our AI is good enough before we push solutions out to our customers – for example, a software buying freight slots for the year.”

Explosion of Software

The platform that Transporeon operates makes the company neutral, with no preferences over freight transport and logistics service providers that the product suppliers utilise. This perspective enables the company to ascertain whether the spot market is soft or whether it’s sensible to switch from contracted logistics to spot service. This insight is helpful. “We can help identify patterns,” he states. “For end-to-end supply chain orchestration we have the data you need, can see the green lights on the control panels because of AI.”

Autonomous procurement – AI doing the despatcher role – to optimise routes and delivery drops opens up a new level. “Do we customise too much, not just providing off-the-shelf solutions,” Schmaldienst questions. “It normally takes months to integrate a TMS. Now it’s faster, thanks to this explosion of software. Skilling-up the physical environment, for drivers and operations, will follow.”

Fraud is another major issue in global supply chains and it takes a big effort all round to detect it. “We’re only the platform operator but our customers are uploading insurance and many other documents that need verification. So we need a safe framework for partners,” he tells me. “AI can verify sources and check for fake identities. Maintaining trust for all parties is key, which necessitates examining sanctions lists, publicly available data and registers via the OCR reading of documents. Humans hate reading all that, it’s error prone. ‘Grey cases’ get referred to a human. Vetting partners is also important, and being aware of ‘closed pool carriers’. Do benchmark and check for new trade lanes,” Schmaldienst advises.

Testimonial

The past few years have posed significant challenges for the transport and logistics sector. Transporeon customer Dimitar Vukov, Commercial Manager at Discordia, told us, “with a fleet of over 1500 trucks, we have had to navigate a rapidly evolving market while continuing expansion across Europe. Driven by competitive pricing, optimised routes, and smarter planning, we have remained focused on growth.”

In its pursuit of innovation and operational excellence, Discordia turned to Transporeon’s Market Insights to enhance decision-making and better meet the evolving needs of customers. Integrating Transporeon’s Market Insights marked a turning point. The solution gave the business access to real-time data on transport costs, fuel prices, and rejection trends across key European markets. With this level of visibility, the company was finally able to respond proactively to market fluctuations, rather than react after the fact.

The impact was immediate and substantial. Discordia’s SPOT business now benefits from accurate, market-aligned quotes, enabling the company to stay competitive and respond quickly to shifting demand. With enhanced visibility and agility, the fleet can be reallocated in real-time to high-volume, high-margin routes, significantly boosting operational efficiency and profitability in the dynamic SPOT market.

Safety: Pedals & Pallets

Posted on by Peter MacLeod

A recent episode of our Podcast series, Logistics Business Conversations, took a tangential route, with Editor Peter MacLeod discussing matters relating both warehouse safety and cycling with expert guest Jim Ryan of Sentry Protection Products.

How do you best cover what could be described as the rather dry topic of warehouse safety? By tying it into one of Ryan’s big extracurricular passions, namely cycling.

“Cycling is one of the first things that you pick when you’re a kid. In Indianapolis they happen to have a big cycling community and a velodrome, one of the probably, about that time, just 3 or 4 across the United States. I was lucky, turning a hobby into something that I concentrated on, but eventually realized I was nowhere close to the levels that would have to take me to the top. ‘Keep your job’. And I kept my day job!”

Drawing parallels between cycling and warehouse safety we can look at protection of the self and of those around us. Let’s say that when you’re riding a bicycle it only really works if it’s moving. You stop; you fall over. What sort of parallels can you draw there?

“Exactly that,” replies Ryan (below).

“I think it’s a perfect parallel because if you don’t go anywhere, you fail completely. We have always felt that way. 27 years ago we came up with the concept of an energy-absorbing column protector for buildings. I wasn’t the inventor. We bought the patent and created Sentry around that idea. We were always thinking ‘what’s next’, what’s a good addition to what we do. We try to move the bicycle forward, as you say. If we’re just relying on what we’ve done in the past, it’s eventually going to fall.”

Those of us who’ve ended up in a thorny bush or even on a hard pavement once you’re clipped in with your cleats, know that you have to show true commitment, single-mindedness in the task. I guess you need to have that to be an entrepreneur and a successful in product development?

Don’t Panic, Plan

“I think there’s always a little bit of restlessness there, always something new. I’ve done some long trips but it’s not just about getting there in the fastest possible time. You need to plan for a start, but then you develop and learn. I’m a little bit older now and racing is really not what I’m going to be doing. Five years ago my brother and I did a trip all the way across the USA and it’s interesting, challenging yourself. I think there are parallels with business. Every day we would plan and have three different outcomes: Our goal – going from here to the next destination, but also two other options – a ‘stretch’ if we do a good job and a ‘bailout’ if something goes awry. We were prepared for either so there’s no panic when something happens, you have a breakdown or when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

“In business if you don’t have a plan you’re not going to get anywhere. But you also have to be flexible in what you do. It’s not always up to what you do, it’s the environment around you. What happens, what good luck or bad will you run into? Success may surprise you if you’re not geared up for manufacturing at scale. We’re having to create contingency plans on how changes in world trade are going to affect us.”

We allude to the famous ‘known knowns’ and ‘known unknowns’. We hear that a lot in the supply chain, trying to predict hurdles and challenges. It’s all very well knowing you’re going to come up against a headwind at some point when you’re on a bike, but you need to know how to react. It’s about making sure everything is in the plan, the backup, the supplies.

“Headwinds are absolutely a part of cycling and business. Just as the winds across a very flat landscape like Kansas on our trip meant we we’re pushing against tremendous headwinds, in business you have to say ‘how are you going to share that burden’. Sometimes you have to team up with others and, by doing so, you get farther down the road. Alliances can be unlikely. You may teaming-up with a competitor just so that the group could push a hole through the air to get ahead of whoever may be behind.”

Can awareness and development of a particular product actually be helped by having competition? “Yes. Our forays into Europe with our radical idea of a plastic, energy absorbing column proved that. We felt this was a positive thing for safety in warehouses, anywhere where you’re running forklifts or any kind of vehicles. Trying to convince people of that was a hard road. I remember talking to people, especially in Germany where they’re used to solid steel products and hearing them saying ‘is this approved’? I said no, this is new. No one was willing to push it forward.

Need for Competition

“Other companies entered the market. We brought this idea to market, but it never was really accepted until customers saw 2, 3, 4 varieties. It pushed through that resistance and then it becomes accepted, pushing the whole industry forward. There are days when I say, ‘I wish I didn’t have so many competitors’. But then I realize, especially for our European sales, we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere until we had competitors. I’m always fascinated by watching the grand cycling tours when a breakaway happens. Different cyclists, from different teams trying to win, use cooperation. In the end you’re not there to help the other person win, you’re there for that time when you’re breaking away, trying to stay away from the rest of the peloton. There’s a guarantee one of you will win, or at least that none of you will be losers.”

There was a time when you were the only one with collapsible racking barriers. Now you look around LogiMAT and there are quite a few.

“Everybody’s got a different idea, different twist on it. We occupy what I think is the highest quality end of it because we’ve never compromised. We’ve always got to come up with something better. In warehouses, the ideas we brought forward 25 to 27 years ago are now standard. What’s next? How are we going to continue to push?”

A generation ago, forklift trucks would have struck solid objects and it would have caused untold damage and the implications come with that. You’ve tested your products considerably. Talk us through some of the physical qualities.

“If you try to take that kind of force, the mass of a fork with the speed, and you try to decelerate to zero you are going to have damage. But if you just stretch that out a little bit the results are much better. That’s a principle we put forward with our products. Your fork truck running into it decelerates a little bit slower, and that allows for energy to be absorbed. The person who’s driving it and the column or rack all survive simply because you’ve turned that instantaneous deceleration into a gradual deceleration. The physics of it are clear.”

How do we continue to apply that to things?

“I look at some of the guardrails that are out there right now. Same principle – it’s slower deceleration. Instead of hitting something solid, where a steel guardrail is going to stop you, but it’s going to wreak some damage to the fork truck and the driver. We’ve also got training. You can’t go into warehouse thinking I’m safe because I’ve got all the bells and whistles around me. Let’s not take our attention away from safety practices. A safe warehouse not only looks safe, but feels it. When you envision a safe environment you have to talk about it and plan for it. Your practices have to encourage. You need to keep efficiency going, but you need to do so in a way that you operate in a safe manner.”

What would you say to those who argue that investment in safety is a cost they simply cannot afford?

“Would you say I can’t afford people? You have to work as a team, be as a team. Investments in safety are just an investment in your workforce. In most cases when you have a safe environment, you’re going to get the throughput, you’ll get happier people. And when you have happier people they’re going to look out for you just like you looked out for them.”

UK’s First Low-Carbon Truck Programme Launches

Posted on by Will Priestman

DP World has launched a new low carbon truck programme (LCTP) at its London Gateway and Southampton logistics hubs, offering truck operators access to low carbon fuel in a UK industry first.

With more than 4,000 truck visits per day at its two UK ports, DP World will support at least 500 trucks to transition to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), a renewable fuel with up to 85% less carbon intensity than diesel. Truck operators will be able to access the HVO at the same cost as diesel, helping remove financial barriers to greater adoption.

The trial will run into 2027 for truck operators who regularly use DP World’s UK ports with fully laden import or export containers. The initiative aims to create a pathway for truck operators to transition to fully electric HGVs, which offer zero emissions at the tailpipe. 

DP World has partnered with fuel providers Certas Energy and New Era Fuels to supply truck operators with low carbon fuel.  Every truck that visits a DP World UK port with a loaded container more than 90 times over a three-month period will qualify for up to 5,000 litres of HVO per vehicle per port. The low carbon fuel can be accessed either via bulk delivery to fuel tanks at truck operators’ yards or via fuel card at UK refuelling station locations.

John Trenchard, Vice President for Sustainable International Supply Chains at DP World, said:

“Cargo owners and freight forwarders can significantly reduce their supply chain scope 3 emissions if they use trucking companies that participate in the programme. This is an innovative first for the container sector and we estimate that more than 30,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide could be reduced each year if all our trucking partners register. Our hope is to encourage early adoption as a transitional step towards the eventual goal of electrification.
“With the forthcoming launch of the new driver welfare facility at Southampton, we’re delighted to be doing more for road hauliers, and we’re confident that the trial will mirror the success of our industry leading Modal Shift and Carbon Inset Programmes.”

A full day, face to face, Carbon Literacy Training course is included as a foundational part of the programme, supporting truck operators and supply chain partners in navigating the journey towards lower carbon supply chains.

Richard Smith, Managing Director, Road Haulage Association, said:

“Hauliers want to reduce their emissions, and our recent Net Zero Survey highlighted how operators see low carbon fuels achieving this as an interim step to Net Zero. Appropriately sourced HVO offers a way for them to do this, and we welcome DP World’s ‘Low Carbon Truck Programme’ together with the accompanying carbon literacy training to support hauliers on this journey.”

The Low Carbon Truck Programme will be funded by the Energy Transition Contribution which is levied on all Import Laden Containers transiting DP World UK port facilities.

Lidl Invests £435M in UK Warehouses to Boost Growth

Posted on by Will Priestman

Lidl GB is accelerating its commitment to providing households across the country with enhanced access to affordable high-quality products as it shares updates on two major warehouse projects.

The discounter has now completed its two-stage extension at its Belvedere site in London, investing £285 million across two buildings. The first phase of investment, which involved the construction of a new, second warehouse, equates to £160 million. The second stage demolished the original building to make way for a state-of-the art warehouse, which tripled capacity.

Lidl now boasts 800,000 sq ft warehouse space at Belvedere, a 167% increase in its footprint since first opening at the site in 2003 – now big enough to park nearly 1,800 double decker buses indoors. Once fully operational, the site will serve 120 stores – from its recently opened store in Brentford, down to Dorking, as well as future stores.

The discounter’s ambitions don’t stop there. Last month construction started at its 38-acre site in Gildersome, Leeds. The £150m investment is yet another example of Lidl’s commitment to scaling up and strengthening infrastructure to support its stores across the country as it builds towards its major milestone of 1,000 stores.

These developments will lead to over 500 new jobs, with the expansion at Belvedere creating 120 new positions and the Leeds warehouse resulting in 400 new roles. Following the discounter’s latest announcement, colleagues will also benefit from Lidl’s market leading pay and benefits from next month.

Richard Taylor, Chief Real Estate Officer at Lidl GB said: 

“We’re proud to play our role in driving economic growth, while continuing to establish an infrastructure that delivers sustainable growth for our ambitious expansion plans. But these investments are not just about logistics. The updates today also represent an investment in our mission to make good food accessible to households across the country.”

Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: 

“This investment is a strong vote of confidence in the UK economy, and Lidl’s commitment to new warehouse facilities in London and Leeds will unlock hundreds of new jobs, strengthen supply chains, and ensure families can access affordable, quality food. Through our Plan for Change we’re backing business and working in partnership to deliver growth and opportunity in communities across the country.”

These projects, alongside Lidl’s ongoing search for new warehouses in the south of England, reinforce and boost Lidl’s scale and ambition as it continues to grow.

Midlands: The Beating Heart of UK Warehousing?

Posted on by Will Priestman

The Midlands has long been regarded as the beating heart of the UK’s logistics network – and for good reasons. That has not changed; if anything, its importance is growing as supply chains face mounting pressures. Centrally located and home to some of the nation’s largest distribution hubs, the region is key in keeping goods flowing across the country.

Midland Pallet Trucks, based in the West Midlands, is proud to support this thriving sector with high-quality manual handling solutions designed to meet the demands of modern warehousing. As businesses prepare for peak trading periods and rising consumer expectations, the efficiency of supply chains often depends on the ability of Midlands-based operations to deliver.

Recent reports found that the UK logistics sector generates £170 billion annually and employs over 8% of the workforce – that is a vital contribution to the national economy. The Midlands is central to this success, offering unparalleled connectivity by road, rail, and air – which makes it the location of choice for many leading retailers and logistics firms.

Phil Chesworth, Managing Director at Midland Pallet Trucks, said:

“The Midlands is the backbone of UK logistics. Its central location makes it the ideal base for businesses that need to reach every corner of the country quickly and efficiently. At Midland Pallet Trucks, we’re proud to be part of this ecosystem, supplying the tools that keep warehouses moving. It’s often the unseen infrastructure, from local firms like ours to the wider logistics network, that keeps the shelves stocked and supply chains strong.”

As retailers and logistics firms prepare for the challenges of Q4, from Black Friday to Christmas, the reliance on Midlands-based distribution centres will become even more pronounced. With e-commerce growth showing no signs of slowing, businesses must ensure that their warehouse operations are equipped to handle the surge. Reliable manual handling equipment – including hand pallet trucks, stacker trucks and lift tables – remains a cornerstone of this readiness.

As supply chains adapt to future challenges, the region will remain a linchpin of the UK economy, and local businesses like Midland Pallet Trucks will continue to play their part in keeping the country moving.

New Trucking Director Appointed

Posted on by Will Priestman

As of August 25, Eva Leckaitė-Končanina has taken on the role of Director at TNDM Trucking, a company within the Girteka Group.

Leckaitė-Končanina has been connected with Girteka for over a decade. She first joined the company in 2010, leading the sales department and later overseeing the entire sales business, during which the company generated over €200 million in revenue.

In 2016, she initiated and co-founded TNDM Trucking, a company dedicated to providing tailored transport services. Within its first two years, the company achieved €30 million in sales. For her leadership and results, Eva was recognized as Girteka Leader of the Year in 2023.

Most recently, she gained additional international experience as CEO of the transport company JCargo. Speaking about her return to Girteka, she highlighted the new challenges and opportunities ahead:

“I believe great results are achieved when we think about the value we create for our clients, colleagues, and partners in our daily decisions. I am excited to return to Girteka and work with the team to make TNDM Trucking a European leader in dedicated transport,” said the new director.

TDNM Trucking Girteka

Girteka Group CEO Edvardas Liachovičius welcomed her appointment:

“Eva knows our business and culture exceptionally well—she is one of the founders of TNDM Trucking, and her track record speaks for itself. She brings back even broader international experience and strong motivation to grow the company. I am confident her leadership will help TNDM Trucking further strengthen its position in Europe and deliver value to our clients.”

Leckaitė-Končanina succeeds Andrius Ivašauskas, who previously headed the company. As of the 1st September, he will continue his career within the group as Director of Owned Fleet Operations at Girteka Logistics, where he will oversee Transport Management and Planning, as well as Intermodal Operations.

Rewriting the WMS Rules

Posted on by Paul Hamblin

Synergy Logistics is UK-based global success story in the highly competitive world of Warehouse Management Systems. Paul Hamblin catches up with Chris White, the company’s recently appointed Chief Revenue Officer EMEA.

The great glory of the logistics industry is the variety of people talent it attracts. Maybe it’s something to do with grit, facing a tough challenge and taking satisfaction from a job well done, despite the glitches.

Chris White (pictured, below) is familiar with those qualities. His story is entertaining – a former professional footballer, he was a solid right-back in the English leagues with spells at Portsmouth, Peterborough United, Exeter City and various semi-pro teams before a contact via one of the club sponsors at Exeter led him to his first role in logistics. A quarter of a century later, after a successful IT/software sales and account management career with Hewlett-Packard, Pitney Bowes, DHL and comparison website Parcel2Go.com, Chris is now Chief Revenue Officer EMEA at Synergy Logistics, the UK-founded Warehouse Management System provider that is making waves globally. His role? “Anything to do with the customer, that’s me,” he sums up.

The Rules Engine Difference

The SnapFulfil WMS is itself another great story. Parent company Synergy Logistics demonstrates a history of innovative concepts going back to the 1970s and the early days of route scheduling and customs & excise solutions. By the 1980s, Synergy began to develop and market early WMS products. In 2007, SnapFulfil was officially launched. Utilising Adobe Flex and Microsoft.NET-based C# programming, it was one of the first cloud-based systems to offer real time information to optimise warehouse management without sacrificing any functionality.

Almost 20 years later, with laser focus still on its core WMS capability, Synergy continues to innovate and to compete with the ‘big beasts’ of the WMS sector. As of 2025, it has racked up 13 years of formal recognition in the much-coveted Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for WMS.

What’s the secret?

“At the top level, we class ourselves as a Tier One WMS, but at a fraction of the price of the big players,” Chris White explains. “We sell on our flexibility. Our core selling point is our rules engine, which is second to none. It’s simple, it’s very adaptable, and customers love it.”

The benefit of the rules engine is the control it offers to customers when warehouse circumstances and configuration demand modification to the WMS – changed putaway rules might be a fair example.

“For instance, our larger competitors are likely to charge high sums for changes,” explains Chris. “Our customers can speak directly to a human being at our call centre and make the change there and then, or they can go into our rules engine and make the alteration themselves.”

Effective recognition of evolving customer preferences is part of the software’s DNA. “We are now over 50 years old as a software provider, we are always listening to and acting upon changing demands and preferences for existing customers. These ideas then automatically go into new releases for the benefit of new customers.”

It’s also a neat way for SnapFulfil to remain ahead of the curve in terms of responding to customer needs and aspirations. The modus operandi has made customers very loyal.

“Our churn in the UK has always been and remains extremely low,” Chris White confirms. “We have a very low turnover of customers in that context. The accounts management team stays very close to them and is always aware of anything that can make a difference.”

First-rate customer service in the planning, implementation and servicing of projects is another key differential claimed by Synergy Logistics.

“Our highly skilled, very knowledgeable implementation team will work with clients for as long as they wish to implement SnapFulfil,” states Chris. “We have a 24/7 manned customer service centre in Castle Donington in the UK Midlands, the vast majority from a warehousing background, and we also have a customer success team for clients wanting to do smaller projects and development. It’s about staying close to our customers, maintaining that customer base.”

WMS requirements come in many sizes and shapes, so it’s vital to meet needs and aspirations across the scale spectrum.

“Let me give you an example about going from one scale to another: we had a global 3PL client come to us in November last year, who wanted to implement a single UK site, but they wanted the project completed within just one month. That is a tight timescale, to say the least. So we had the discussions at the back end of November and all of December, we started implementation in January and it took us just six weeks to complete because our product can be deployed straight out of the box. They already had a rival WMS, it was failing drastically, and our out-of-the-box solution did the trick for them. Now that client is speaking to us about global representation both for themselves and their subsidiaries.

“So that’s one example. With another, we might work with a client for two years to implement SnapFulfil in a certain part of their business if the project is complex. Our highly-skilled and knowledgeable team can boast decades of experience and they know how best to proceed. SnapFulfil is very easy to implement out of the box, but very flexible if you need it to be more complex to suit your business – and that depends on what level of ROI you are seeking.”

Can he offer figures for likely ROI?

“What matters is giving customers what they need, which are efficiencies within their business. And with those efficiencies comes your ROI. Typically, ROI is within 18-24 months with SnapFulfil, but it can be longer, depending on how we implement that business with them – is it multi-sites or single-site, for instance?”

The Here and Now

White paints a compelling picture of SnapFulfil capability and delivery, but he confirms that the current unstable international trading and political environment is not the most appropriate for an ambitious, flourishing business.

He believes that those companies who want to take a calculated risk of investment in the here and now will see the upsides.

“Because our time to implementation is very short, the benefits are available to exploit more quickly. Post implementation, many of our competitors charge for changes and modifications whereas we generally don’t, we work alongside the customer as part of the project. With our rules engine, customers can make configurations themselves, if they so choose. Yes, WMS requires investment, but it’s about walking the customer through the benefits.”

Whittard Expand Tea Supply and Fulfilment Partnership

Posted on by Will Priestman

Wincanton announces the extension of its partnership with premium tea and coffee retailer Whittard of Chelsea.

The relationship, which began in 2012, has been extended to support Whittard’s ongoing UK and international growth across both eCommerce and physical retail. Under the renewed contract, Wincanton will continue to manage both B2C and B2B fulfilment operations from its state-of-the-art eFulfilment centre, DC7, in Northampton.

On B2C operations, Wincanton will continue to handle online order fulfilment for customers across the UK and international markets, managing everything from storage and pick-and-pack to multi-carrier delivery services. For B2B, Wincanton will continue to oversee stock distribution to Whittard’s UK stores and, e-commerce fulfillment and international wholesale partners – ensuring shelves are restocked efficiently and reliably throughout the year.

The partnership has delivered strong operational performance across its duration, culminating in picking accuracy of 99.99%, and 99.5% accuracy for outbound eCommerce orders, this year.

The contract also includes a range of specialist services. These include managing the certification requirements for international shipping – critical for efficient and regulation-compliant international trade – and Whittard’s unique personalisation services, from   bespoke blending and packaging of tea and coffee products to packing gift orders and personalised gift messages.

Carl Moore, Managing Director – eFulfilment, at Wincanton commented: 

“Whittard is a truly iconic British brand and we’re proud to continue supporting their growth in the UK and beyond... This contract renewal reflects the strength of our partnership and our shared commitment to innovation and an exceptional customer experience. As Whittard looks to expand its retail footprint, our logistics expertise and scalable fulfilment solutions will continue to play a vital role in enabling their success.” Carl Moore

Tom Baker, Chief Financial Officer at Whittard said: 

“As Whittard continues its strong growth in the UK and globally it is key to have reliable logistics partners that can scale with us, and we are pleased to continue our partnership with Wincanton.”

DHL eCommerce Open New Site to Meet Rising Demand

Posted on by Will Priestman

DHL eCommerce, the e-commerce logistics specialist of DHL Group, today announces the opening of a new facility in the Midlands. The new depot, in Minworth, Birmingham will increase handling capacity by 50% and service over 80 core routes with a further 30 during peak season.

The newly refurbished 9,700m2 site, developed by Mileway, is strategically located within the heart of the UK’s logistics “golden triangle”. By placing the facility in this location, DHL eCommerce will be able to service more customers across the Midlands region.

Operating solely on electricity, the depot has 13 electric vehicle charging points to minimise delivery emissions. The facility also features an integrated rainwater harvesting system to reduce its water consumption and has achieved an EPC A rating.

Stuart Hill, CEO of DHL eCommerce UK, says: “We are thrilled to announce the opening of this new depot in Birmingham. As demand continues to grow across the UK, having a strategic location in the Midlands that connects us to even more customers is crucial. The location coupled with the sustainability credentials of the new site means we will serve more customers, more efficiently and more sustainably.”

The new site forms part of DHL eCommerce’s €560m investment in the UK announced in 2022 and follows the opening of its new 25,000 m2 parcel hub in Coventry earlier this year.

Powering the Future of OOH

Posted on by Paul Hamblin

Big growth is predicted for the out-of-home (OOH) delivery market over the next decade and eye-catching start-up Bloq.it intends to be at the heart of that expansion. Paul Hamblin meets co-founder and COO, Joao Lopes.

As ecommerce delivery models evolve, the out-of-home (OOH) delivery method is an increasingly attractive one for cost-conscious retailers and their logistics providers. Obvious result? More and more companies want to build, deploy and manage slick, efficient, and reliable locker networks throughout their territories.

And that is easier said than done.

Building a locker network across a country or group of countries is complex and fraught with challenges. Think of the project scope: you must find a locker manufacturer. Then someone to build you reliable software to link with your systems so that you can communicate successfully with customers about their orders. After that, another third-party is required to select sites and then deploy effectively at the chosen sites, probably having to make significant structural changes to that site before doing so. It is slow, it is complicated, it distracts from your core business. After all, if you’re a retailer or a logistics provider, your business is selling and distributing goods – it is not about building and maintaining a locker network.

Enter Bloq.it. The Portuguese-founded start-up says it is now the fastest-growing ‘Smart Locker’ company in the world and the numbers are impressive: 800% revenue growth year-on-year, 120% head count growth in the same 2022-2023 period. It has just completed a Series-B funding round of €28 million to enable even faster growth.

Co-founder and COO Joao Lopes (pictured, below) explains: “Our model is straightforward. Companies that want to launch locker networks need someone to provide the complete solution for them. We consider ourselves to be network builders for these businesses, and that means we provide the hardware components, the software components, management, third party integration, any customisation that is required, as well as the functionality, security, scaling.”

It doesn’t stop there. “We will also take care of field operations. If you’re building a network, naturally you want to deploy fast, and it’s not generally a quick matter to deploy a 600kg machine that is safe, secure and compliant. You need a proper process, and tools to carry out that process reliably. The same goes for support and maintenance. You need to be able to react quickly and effectively, because users are going to notice if you don’t.”

Commitment to Neutrality

Alongside Bloq-it’s network-building capability is its commitment to neutrality. “We need to be trusted to build networks for multiple partners, some of whom are likely to be in competition with each other, so it’s absolutely vital that our neutrality is visible and proven,” he asserts, citing fast-growing European online clothing retailer Vinted in evidence.

“Look at our results with Vinted, who have now built an extremely successful network. It’s happened because we invest continually. We have strong engineering teams consistently improving our lockers and our software, we are close to the customer and we understand their networks.”

A good example of Bloq-it’s understanding of customer challenges is NEXT, it’s next-gen autonomous locker. “One of the biggest costs of deploying network is site adaptation,” explains Joao Lopes. “You need a power connection, you might need to undertake expensive and time-consuming ground works. NEXT overcomes those issues at a stroke because it is battery-powered and is supplied with a concrete base. It can be dropped into position and start work straightaway.”

He is confident about the opportunities ahead for Bloq.it: “The more pressure there is on delivery costs, the more companies are likely to push people to OOH,” he argues. “There is a lot of growth ahead. Hundreds of thousands of lockers will need to be deployed in Europe in the next five to 10 years, and that’s where we are focused.”

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