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Tag: Transport

DHL supports boohoo’s US expansion

Posted on by Keith McKinley

DHL Supply Chain, part of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has been chosen by boohoo group plc to manage its first-ever US distribution centre. DHL Supply Chain will provide boohoo, which generates annual sales of over $2.4bn, with best-in-class warehousing solutions to enable the company’s expected growth in the US market.

As boohoo’s popularity in the US continues to grow, DHL Supply Chain will lead the operation of a new 1.1m sq ft distribution centre in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, southeast of Harrisburg. The location, expected to open in early 2023, will allow the company to offer next-day service to the New York City metro region, a key customer area for the fashion brand.

“Although boohoo has been servicing the US through its existing network in the UK since 2006, the company’s growing order volumes and customer demand on this side of the pond in recent years made a US-based distribution centre for direct-to-consumer fulfilment a necessity,” said Kraig Foreman, President, eCommerce, DHL Supply Chain. “Their new facility will reduce transportation costs, improve service, and drive greater agility and speed, getting the latest trends into customers’ hands faster. We’re proud to partner with boohoo as they invest in the US market and prepare for future growth.”

DHL Supply Chain will hire 1,000 associates in its first year at the state-of-the-art warehouse, with nearly 2,500 expected over the next three years. The site will feature several amenities, including a kitchen/canteen with fresh food prepared daily, as well as an on-site gym and activity area. The site also will include a recruiting and training centre to allow for faster hiring and training of new associates.

In line with its proven ability to apply emerging technologies to drive efficiency and productivity improvements for customers, through its accelerated digitalisation programme, DHL plans to introduce highly automated solutions, such as an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) and a high-speed pouch sorter at the boohoo site in the next three years. These systems work together to put away and replenish inventory in addition to providing picking and pack sortation. This will be one of the first sites within DHL Supply Chain’s operations to feature the technology and is one of the most cutting-edge warehousing solutions on the market.

“We have a loyal and growing customer base in the US and want to provide them with a faster and smoother service than we can currently offer from the UK.  Investing in our distribution network in the US illustrates the confidence we have to grow our business in this important market. We chose DHL Supply Chain as our logistics partner because of their industry-leading expertise in managing highly complex e-commerce operations and their proven track record with successful startups in the space,” said David James, Supply Chain Director.

“Our inventory management is an extremely important element of our overall business and our commitment to a superior customer experience. We trust DHL Supply Chain to handle our operations at our new US site, leveraging their commitment to advanced digitalisation to ensure we meet our customers’ expectations.”

XPO road-rail freight solution for Wavin

Posted on by Keith McKinley

XPO Logistics has introduced an innovative road-rail freight solution to reduce emissions for Wavin, one of the world’s top manufacturers of plastic pipe systems for residential and non-residential use. XPO has partnered with Wavin since 2018, managing the transport of products from plants in Wiltshire and South Yorkshire to destinations throughout the UK.

XPO successfully trialled the road-rail combination in June and implemented the full solution in September through a rail service agreement with Malcolm Logistics. XPO transports Wavin products by road from a production site in Chippenham, Wiltshire, to Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT), near Crick, where they are transported by rail to Grangemouth Rail Terminal in Scotland. From there, the XPO fleet and drivers are deployed to complete the final deliveries.

It is envisaged that the service will be used five days per week, with up to six multimodal rail containers transported daily. The road-rail combination will significantly lower annual C02 emissions by an estimated 58% and reduce NOx by18.8 tonnes yearly, with the full benefits realised once all the rail freight containers are in place. The solution is managed by XPO’s technology platform, which integrates all of the company’s transport services for Wavin, including dedicated truckload, less-than-truckload and a bespoke parcel delivery service.

Andrew Crosby, global director – indirect procurement, Wavin, said: “XPO’s road-rail solution is another example of our partner’s proactive approach to innovation. Our collaboration with XPO is delivering measurable improvements in on-time performance and cost reduction, and now we are further reducing the emissions of our operations on pace with our sustainability goals.”

Dan Myers, managing director – UK and Ireland, XPO Logistics, said: “Both Wavin and XPO understand the importance of taking responsibility to drive innovation and step changes in environmental performance. With our latest initiative, we are achieving these two critical goals together. As partners, we will continue to deliver for Wavin’s customers and the environment.”

85% in transport and logistics consider leaving

Posted on by David Priestman

New research by Cool Company has found that, during the last 12 months, 85% of those in the transport and logistics industry have considered or are still considering leaving contracting.

Following the proposal of the repeal of the Off-payroll legislation and the subsequent government U-turn, the digital payroll solution for contractors Cool Company, wanted to find out how the uncertainty was impacting contractors. Of the respondents, who have been contracting for an average of just over five years, 49% were concerned that there will be further reforms in the future, causing more uncertainty, while 50% raised concerns about the potential cost implications of an IR35 repeal or further reforms.

While potential legislation changes are troubling, there are other issues that are of greater priority for contractors in the current economic climate.

Contractors in the older age bracket (55-64) voiced worries about, material shortages (31%), labour and material costs (27%), health and safety (27%), and late payments (27%). While younger contractors (25-34)  shared concerns about late payments (19%), poor cash flow (26%), and finding new clients (24%). 19% of the younger contractors were also worried about finding ways to work around IR35 legislation and any potential changes to the legislation.

Worryingly, these combined strains have meant that during the last 12 months, 76% of contractors have considered or are still considering leaving contracting – including 85% of those in the transport and logistics industry, and half (50%) of all 55–64-year-olds. Which could leave an enormous skill shortage in a range of industries.

Cool Company’s Head of Business, Kris Simpson, comments: “According to our research, right now, UK contractors are working an average of 58% of their contracts within IR35 and more than half (54%) say their client charge rate has increased in the last quarter. Although the initial implementation of the Off-payroll legislation was not without its pain points, it is no longer the primary concern for contractors as it stands. It now seems the uncertainty surrounding future changes to IR35 and worries such as cash flow, finding new clients, and general economic concerns have become the greatest priority for many.

“Although the proposal to repeal the Off-payroll legislation came with the best of intentions for the economy, it – and any future revisions – can only cause further disruption to the industry. There are better ways to support businesses and their workers through this difficult economic period than once again changing the rules they have to work with.”

Ensuring the safety of damaged electric vehicles

Posted on by David Priestman

Over recent years, the electric vehicle (EV) market has grown significantly, as we drive for sustainable solutions to support our green future. However, if EVs become damaged, safe storage and monitoring by workshops and recovery vehicles is key to prevent further risk. Tommy Carnebo, risk management specialist, Dafo Vehicle Fire Protection, discusses the risks of damaged EVs and how these can be mitigated to maximise safety.

By 2030, it’s estimated that, globally, there will be over 300 million EVs on the road (up from 16.5 million at the end of 2021). This comes as governments worldwide continue to push sustainability agendas to reduce carbon emissions. Predominately powered by lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries, EVs also present a new kind of fire risk – thermal runaway:

  1. If a battery overheats, overcharges or is subject to physical damage or overvoltage, it can cause an internal malfunction.
  2. That can lead to smoke emissions, alongside rapid temperature increases throughout the battery cells.
  3. If not controlled almost instantly, this can lead to fire, toxic emissions (eg hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and cyanide) and potentially large explosions.

Thermal runaway is extremely difficult to extinguish using traditional fire suppression systems once it’s initiated. And, as EV numbers on roads continue to increase, as does the risk of thermal runaway.

For mechanic workshops, recovery vehicles, commercial vehicle handlers, first and second responders, or any other business responsible for the storage and handling of electric vehicles after road collisions, the risk of thermal runaway is particularly pertinent.

Thermal runaway is also a risk for lithium iron phosphate batteries, as they burn in the same way as li-ion batteries. However, as these batteries often contain less energy than li-ion batteries, the risk is potentially lower.

The need for a new approach

As thermal runaway can develop rapidly, for example overnight when damaged EVs are stored in a closed unit, it’s essential to have an effective fire detection system in place to maximise safety and prevent further damage to the EV, any surrounding valuable assets and the environment.

Traditional fire detection systems will often only detect thermal runaway as it advances and temperatures have begun to rise. At this stage, temperature rises can be irreversible and toxic gas emissions can cause serious health risks. Instead, damaged EVs need a unique fire detection system, which will identify thermal runaway in its earliest stage, identifying changes in the carbon monoxide levels, before temperatures increase.

As EV accidents can happen on the road, meaning damaged vehicles often need to be towed for periods of time before storage, a portable detection solution is key. This also enables the system to be applied and reused for different vehicles, giving cost savings for workshops.

By using sensors to immediately detect smoke emissions from the vehicle’s high risk areas, these detection systems can alert those nearby to the risk and can also be connected to a site’s fire alarm system, alerting first responders.

This also reduces necessary EV quarantine and downtime after a vehicle collision and makes the overall work environment safer.

eTrailers a “game changer” for decarbonising long hauls

Posted on by Keith McKinley

DB Schenker has signed a cooperation agreement with Trailer Dynamics and the Krone Commercial Vehicle Group on the use of eTrailers in European land transport.

“This agreement marks a further step in the electrification of land transport,” says Cyrille Bonjean Executive Vice President Land Transport for DB Schenker in Europe. “It is essential for us to look for new sustainable solutions that can be integrated into our daily business. With the eTrailer from Trailer Dynamics, we have obtained another promising model for the future.”

Wolfgang Janda, Executive Vice President, Head of Network & Linehaul Management, DB Schenker, adds: “The use of eTrailers enables early entry into the phased transition to a completely CO2-free fleet. In our view, electric trailers do not represent a transitional technology but will instead be a firm component of our commercial vehicle fleet over the long term. This marks yet another step in our efforts to reduce our environmental footprint and become net-zero by 2040.”

Michael Nimtsch, Managing Director at Trailer Dynamics, says: “The vision of Trailer Dynamics is to use eTrailers to make an important contribution to the decarbonisation of the economy and sustainable and environmentally friendly logistics for long-haul trucks. With our cooperation partner DB Schenker, we are taking the next important step toward transforming this vision into reality.”

“Electrification, digitalisation, automation, and decarbonisation are the strategic goals that Krone will achieve with its innovative products – and especially the eTrailer,” adds Dr. Stefan Binnewies, CEO of Krone Holding. “We are therefore very pleased that we not only share these goals with our long-standing customer DB Schenker; we are also jointly making them a reality with this eTrailer project.”

The use of eTrailers makes trucks more sustainable and lowers their CO2 emissions.

The electrified trailers of Trailer Dynamics have an electric drive train that makes it possible to support the drive of the tractor unit. A specially developed component uses a patented sensor system to determine the driving dynamics of the tractor-trailer combination and then readjusts the eTrailer so that the eTrailer supports the tractor unit. The tractor unit cannot be overridden at any time, however. The electric drive train also allows energy to be recovered during braking.

The eTrailer’s drive control system operates independently, so no interface with the tractor is necessary. In addition, the trailers can be combined and used with tractor units from all manufacturers. The eTrailers support diesel, gas, electric, and hydrogen-powered tractors.

The trailers can be equipped with 300kWh, 450kWh, or 600kWh batteries as required. This can extend the range of electric tractors by up to 500km, depending on the use case, and also significantly reduce the fuel consumption of conventional diesel tractors. CO2 emissions can thus be reduced by 20%-40%.

The logistics provider will successively roll out these 2,000 eTrailers across its European network starting in 2024.

CILT releases driver shortage report

Posted on by David Priestman

In 2015, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) carried out an opinion survey looking at the driver shortage crisis. Seven years later, after numerous member requests, it sought to review this matter again by launching a new survey.

The purpose of the survey was to gauge the opinions of industry members about the current driver shortage in both the movement of passengers and the movement of goods, through the CILT(UK) benchmarking clubs LogMark and BusMark.

The aim of this report is to establish a series of recommendations to fleet operators, industry and government, by examining the data and comparing it to the last report from 2015.

Goods movement

The lack of lorry drivers has been a problem for many years with younger generations avoiding the occupation due to the industry image and a lack of careers guidance, towards the transport sector, from schools.

73% said that the industry image was something that both the government and the industry should focus on as a top priority. In addition, 64% of those moving goods are currently experiencing issues with driver shortage, with the average age of drivers now over 50 years of age.

As a result the logistics industry is having a hard time finding new drivers.

The report highlights that there has been an increase in shortage within every part of the UK. Areas including the North East, Yorkshire & Humber, East of England and Scotland have, in some cases, more than doubled since 2015.

HGV work can be difficult. The job can include long/unsociable hours (this is has the biggest increase as an issue within this year’s report), with mental health challenges coming from isolation and loneliness.

It is also well documented that roadside facilities and depots can be extremely poor, with 45% saying that this is a big issue.

In addition, there is also the pressure of the job with drivers having a lot of responsibility to pass health checks, CPCs (which need to be retained) and licences. From a young person’s point of view, a role in retail or an office environment may be more appealing. This has also reflected in the retention of drivers, with the highest staff turnover in goods movement being 25%.

Mark Bentley, Senior Lecturer in Supply Chain Management at Anglia Ruskin University, says: “There is also an undercurrent of dissatisfaction of drivers in how they are treated (i.e. spoken to and interacted with) by Traffic Office staff. There are instances of where agency drivers, in particular, avoid working for some companies where they are not treated with respect in their interaction with Traffic Office operations. Training of Transport Office staff and demanding a more customer approach for driver interactions is something that needs to be considered.”

A further concern is that 64% of goods movers have been unable to cover driving work in the past year.

With the ever-increasing demand of next-day and even same-day deliveries, this will undoubtedly raise the cost of delivery services even further.

While many agree that the work life balance is a key issue, others have stated that there are challenges with age restrictions and because of this it is a secondary career choice.

92% of participants stated that the government are not doing anywhere near enough to deal with the driver shortage issue. 51% said that there should be more opportunity for engagement with government bodies, 67% said that there should be improved funding and 73% said that the government should be looking at improving the image of the industry. Equally, 73% also said that the industry itself should work on improving the image. Perhaps this should be done in a collaborative way.

71% of participants believe that the industry should improve its terms and conditions.

Regarding this, Bentley said: “Terms and conditions are noted in the report as continuing to be an issue. In employment terms these are referred to as ‘hygiene factors’ and are imperative to recruiting and retaining employees. There are still a number of employers who are not seriously engaged with such issues. I appreciate it is extremely tough economically in running road haulage operations, but there can be no compromise in not paying a good rate of pay and providing good terms and conditions.”

The ongoing issue, and the potential for negative business impact, remains of great concern to those moving goods. In question 16 we can see that there has been minimal change with most saying that their concern was on a level of 7-8 out of 10. However, those who are very worried have increased by 50%.

Final thoughts

The CILT’s interpretation of the survey results is as follows:

From the report, we can see that the situation is certainly not improving, so what can be done? During our report review meeting, a number of ideas were suggested with many agreeing that the industry image needs to change. The industry needs to look at this internally by working with schools/colleges to promote the industry. Many participants get involved with careers fairs and hold open days.

Industry supporters, like CILT(UK), could do more by offering more careers advice within schools and colleges, promoting the benefits of the industry and facilitating working groups with government, academia and industry leaders.

Another option is to work closer with MoD and their leavers. The survey results show that only 39% of participants do this and the MoD staff are trained to a high level in many areas.

Organisations, such as the British Forces Resettlement Services (BFRS) and Veterans into Logistics, offer direct links to ex-forces staff and companies should consider engaging with them to promote roles that may be available.

Bentley said: “These solutions are within the current remit of operators themselves. Funding, as an example, is already available through subsidies for apprenticeships (95% for non-levy organisations) along with Bootcamp funding from the government.”

We see staff engagement, advertising and top of the list, pay, as the most popular methods of seeking and retaining drivers. Appointment of European drivers has reduced greatly since Brexit and presents a compelling case to seek special exemptions across the transport sector, especially as the number of unemployed people per vacancy has fallen to a record low of 0.9, so more positions available within UK PLC than there are available people.

Competition for recruits with other industries is fierce, and some operators are showing greater flexibility in assessing applicants’ driver licence points on a case-by-case basis.

Across BusMark and LogMark, over 60% are not actively seeking to engage MOD service leavers. Is this, in part, because operators don’t know how to engage with the military, or organisations that seek to find leavers employment post-service? We also find that just 30.5% of Passenger respondents are currently recruiting trainee drivers, compared to 46.5% of Freight participants.

The report finds that the main reasons for Passenger and Freight driver shortages, Brexit aside, are unsociable hours, poor industry image, long hours, sub-standard facilities and poor wages. If these factors, as well as the ‘other’ responses, show the reality of professional driving, does this explain why the shortage may be a generation issue, who require a different work/life balance than in days gone by? If it’s even just their perception of a professional driving career, then many potential recruits are not giving the industry a second thought as it stands.

Up from 2015’s 89%, today 92% of respondents believe that Government isn’t doing enough to help. Whilst the Government-backed Generation Logistics initiative seeks to promote careers in the Logistics sector, but bearing in mind the Bus & Coach driver plight, we are keen to see a similar initiative for Passenger Transport careers launched as soon as possible.

Members believe the best way to attract drivers is to improve industry image and, improve driver terms & conditions, particularly when compared to entering other occupations, such as Retail, where entrants do not undertake medicals and eye-sight tests.

Perceptions have to change, and professional driving should be seen as an aspirational, highly-responsible career of choice.

When we look at the final question on scale of worry, the only surprise here is that the most common level of 7-8 remains similar to 2015, rather than being at 9-10. The industry should be worried but not to despair, believing that a Busmark/Logmark working group should use this data to plan our future efforts, which we can all get behind, champion and engage with The Institute’s policy groups (Bus & Coach / Freight & Logistics), the General Public and Government.

In conclusion, this issue isn’t going to disappear anytime soon, but neither is the CILT, which would love to hear your feedback and further suggestions for improving this ongoing issue.

 

Technology specialist scoops award

Posted on by Keith McKinley

A specialist logistics technology firm is celebrating after picking up an award at the prestigious UK Business Tech Awards 2022. The annual UK Business Tech Awards are designed to recognise the UK’s finest tech businesses and reward the innovative and exceptional applications of technology to transform and grow businesses.

Wise provides over 250 UK last-mile delivery firms with innovative software to help them save time, stress and money when engaging a self-employed workforce. The tech company, based in Solihull, were awarded Tech Company of The Year (small) at the glamorous London event.

Sifting through hundreds of entries, the judging panel noted that Wise had ‘demonstrated innovative thought in solving an important issue’ within the logistics industry, whilst also receiving ‘excellent funding results, clearly giving confidence in the company’s long-term future’.

Dan Richards, Chief Commercial Officer at Wise, said: “We were absolutely thrilled to be a winner at this year’s UK Business Tech Awards, especially considering the incredible businesses we were competing alongside.

“As a business, we’ve been on an incredible journey over the last few years, bringing together some of the UK’s best technology talent under one roof in Solihull. Being recognised with this prestigious award is a great testament to the technology we have created over the past couple of years and the real impact this is having on self-employment within the logistics and last-mile delivery industry.”

 

Haulage team overcomes bridge challenge

Posted on by David Priestman

A team from Collett & Sons has successfully delivered an 80-tonne transformer from Lancashire to the Harting Rig Wind Farm substation in Scotland. Appointed by Fracht UK, Collett was tasked with providing a transport solution to deliver the heavy cargo the 230 miles from Goole to South Lanarkshire. But what would normally have been a relatively straightforward journey for the experts from Collett was complicated just three miles shy of the wind farm site in the shape of Glassford Bridge.

Identified in the planning process, weight restrictions were in place on the structure, resulting in limitations to the vehicles and cargoes crossing the bridge. The loaded trailer and truck combination would have exceeded the structure’s maximum permitted weights, therefore a new approach would be required.

Alongside the weight limitations, Collett was also required to observe a maximum speed of 10mph and ensure that no other traffic or pedestrians would be present on the bridge during the transport operation. In addition, all vehicles must follow a three-metre strip of the bridge, with a series of cat’s eye markers in place to ensure each vehicle maintained a set alignment throughout.

With all this identified, Collett executed innovative transport arrangements to overcome these obstacles.  Arriving at Glassford Bridge, the process began by uncoupling the loaded trailer from the 8×4 MAN TGX tractor unit. Once disconnected, two 40m wire cables were attached, connecting the trailer and primary ballast truck.  A secondary 8×4 ballast unit was then connected at the rear of the trailer, again using 40m wire cables.

The extended combination was then ready to go.  Having implemented Temporary Traffic Restriction Orders, the lights on the bridge were turned to red and the team from Collett was able to proceed. With all other traffic restricted, the secondary ballast tractor reversed and the primary drove forward. This tensioned the cable, removing any slack, then both vehicles began the slow drive forward.

Controlling the cable tensioning throughout, the primary tractor unit cleared the structure, followed by the trailer, transformer and Steersman in tow. With the ability to control the trailer’s steering and braking, Collett’s Steersman ensured that the trailer and cargo remained within the necessary alignment whilst traversing the structure.

Once clear of the bridge, and with the trailer brake applied, the secondary ballast unit took up the cable stack and crossed Glassford Bridge to complete the operation.

With the wire cables removed and the primary tractor unit re-coupled, the 80-tonne transformer completed the remaining three miles of the journey to Harting Rig Wind Farm. On arrival, the cargo was met by Collett’s Heavy Lift Team for jacking and  skidding to its final position.#

 

Packfleet steers away from gig economy

Posted on by David Priestman

All-electric delivery company Packfleet says it is revolutionising seasonal driver standards this Christmas by offering sector-topping benefits during the notoriously busy period.

At a time that is plagued with horror stories from drivers working for well-known courier companies, Packfleet is paying all its drivers above the London living wage, and provides private healthcare and pensions.

Workers will receive free lunch and snacks when they’re on the road, and £30 a month to spend at some of the 130+ merchants who ship with Packfleet – including meal kit service Dishpatch, and online cheesemonger Cheesegeek.

Packfleet will more than double its workforce during the seasonal spike, with a variety of part-time and full-time roles available. The business will be offering drivers permanent contracts once the Christmas period has finished, to help expand their operation across the country.

At a time where many cash-strapped Londoners are looking to supplement incomes, Packfleet’s seasonal staff are both paid 30% better than industry average and are set to be the best treated in Britain. Drivers from the likes of Yodel, DPD and Evri have already jumped ship, citing the better workplace culture as the main draw.

Packfleet says it isn’t just leading the way with driver standards, it says it is also protecting the planet. Its entire fleet is electric and charged by renewable energy, and it plants a tree for every parcel shipped.

Tristan Thomas, CEO and co-founder of Packfleet, says “We believe that every driver should be treated fairly all year round. You see office staff up and down the country receive all sorts of benefits during the festive season, so why shouldn’t it be the same for drivers?

“The logistics sector is rife with horror stories – especially during such a notoriously busy period – and we’re changing that. We don’t overwhelm our drivers with parcels, and our tech puts them on the quickest route possible, meaning they don’t have to speed around London to hit delivery targets.

“We’re bringing driver employment standards in line with the rest of the working world. The stories we hear from drivers at the major courier services are, quite frankly, unacceptable. It’s disgraceful that these have become the industry standard.”

Ayath Ullah, a delivery driver for Packfleet, says: “At Packfleet, we deliver on time, but I’m encouraged to speak with customers, and never feel overwhelmed with unrealistic delivery expectations. In my previous courier job, I constantly felt under pressure to deliver parcels quickly at all costs – but I’ve never felt that way at Packfleet.

“I’ve been here for over a year now, and my experience with them has been 10x better than at any other company. I love it here, and don’t understand why more businesses aren’t treating their drivers this well.”

Applications for the seasonal roles are open now, and prospective drivers can apply by following THIS LINK.

Cargo First strengthens Bournemouth Airport operations

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Cargo First, Bournemouth Airport’s dedicated cargo handling service, has strengthened its fast-track ‘One Team’ operation by bringing its on-site customs bonded warehouse facilities fully in-house. The move further streamlines Cargo First’s ground handling operation which is geared to providing a faster alternative to the congested London airport system for freight customers.

It comes as global e-commerce demand continues to grow. IATA (International Air Transport Association) suggested in a recent industry briefing that global e-commerce parcel volumes could double to 260 billion by 2025, with 80% of sales estimated to be cross-border.

And FedEx Express recently published research saying e-commerce would continue to take a growing proportion of total consumer spend. But the number one customer complaint (53%) is that deliveries take too long, with an expectation of receiving goods within three days to one week of ordering.

Bob Matharoo, Head of Cargo Development at Cargo First, said: “We’re fine tuning our system to make the cargo ownership chain as short and responsive as it can be, with no third parties. Our focus is speed to market and being a cost-effective alternative to the hub airports.

“E-commerce continues to grow, and with it customer expectations around speed of delivery. Capacity at the big London hub airports is severely constrained but we’re not. We think that’s a real opportunity for Bournemouth Airport and Cargo First, especially bearing in mind our location just 90 minutes from the capital.”

Cargo First was initially working jointly with a global logistics partner to handle customs processing through the bonded facilities on the airport site. It now has full control over the whole cargo process, from offloading aircraft through to processing, onward loading and delivery.

The company spent 18 months benchmarking freight deliveries via Bournemouth to London warehouses and found it could halve the time of delivery to the same end destinations compared with using a London hub airport.

Cargo First and Bournemouth Airport are part of the UK’s privately-owned Regional and City Airports (RCA) group, which also owns Coventry Airport, Exeter Airport and Norwich Airport. RCA also operates the XLR Executive Jet Centre FBO facilities at Birmingham, Bournemouth, Exeter and Liverpool airports.

 

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