Operator News

From third-party logistics to own-account operators Motortransport.co.uk has it covered: we report on all 3PLs, from DHL Supply Chain to Eddie Stobart Logistics, and from XPO Logistics to Wincanton. We also cover the UK home delivery and parcels market from Royal Mail to DPD and from Hermes to Yodel. We have all the latest news from own-account operators, including Tesco Distribution, Travis Perkins, Bidvest and the latest developments from pallet networks including Palletways and Pall-ex.

Former Cert Octavian chief executive joins Eezehaul

March 20, 2012 Peter Steele

Former Cert Octavian chief executive Anthony Finlayson-Green has joined Crawley-based operator Eezehaul as a non-executive chairman. Finlayson-Green , who is currently chief executive at storage firm Apex Linvar, joins Eezehaul as its looks to strengthen its position in the contract logistics market. Eezehaul MD Mark Duggan says: “Anthony will play a key role as we push forward with our strategy for continued growth of managing more complex supply chain and warehousing solutions.” The firm sold its interests in parcel network […]

City Link rolls out Sameday-branded fleet

March 20, 2012 Hayley Pink

City Link has rolled out a dedicated new livery for its Sameday fleet, featuring the strapline ‘when tomorrow is too late’ to help strengthen the operation’s brand. The parcels firm says the Sameday service has expanded rapidly in the past 12 months, with new contract wins across multiple business sectors, and that “this trend shows no sign of slowing down”. Two new depots were opened in Bristol and Newcastle during 2011 to cope with customer demand, with further sites earmarked […]

News

UPS agrees TNT takeover bid

March 19, 2012 Hayley Pink

UPS is set to acquire TNT Express NV in a deal that will create a €45bn (£37.4bn) global logistics firm. The deal values the Dutch firm at approximately €5.16bn, following its increased offer of €9.50 per ordinary share. UPS says that in acquiring TNT it will fulfill its long-standing aim to expand its European operations. According to the Motor Transport Top 100 the combined business will generate a UK turnover of approximately£1.3bn – placing it level with Wincanton as the […]

UPS to bid again for TNT

March 16, 2012 Hayley Pink

UPS says it is still in talks to buy rival TNT Express, despite its initial bid on 17 February being rejected by the Dutch parcels giant. “UPS remains in constructive discussions with TNT Express NV regarding a potential transaction to acquire the entire issued share capital of TNT Express,” a statement from the US parcel giant says. A bid of €9 per share was offered by UPS last month, worth €4.9bn, but this was rejected by TNT just five days […]

DX Group buys Nightfreight

March 15, 2012 Peter Steele

Nightfreight has been acquired by DX Group in an undisclosed cash deal that creates a mail, courier and distribution business with a combined turnover of approximately £290m. As part of the acquisition former City Link MD Stuart Godman will join the combined managerial board as chief operating officer. His former Target Express and City Link colleague, DX chief executive Petar Cvetkovic, remains in his current role while Nightfreight chief executive Ian Smith becomes DX strategy director. Cvetkovic says the acquisition […]

Jigsaw Solutions to use double-deck trailers to cut road miles

March 14, 2012

Consortium Jigsaw Solutions is introducing six double-deck trailers on its Indesit contract in a move that will cut out an estimated 340,000 road miles annually. Moving goods from the white goods manufacturer’s central DC in Raunds, Northamptonshire, to six home delivery satellite warehouses using the new Cartwright trailers should save around 25 weekly vehicle journeys. Andy Humpherson, MD at Jigsaw Solutions, says: “These new trailers represent a significant investment by our business and will enhance our ability to provide a […]

DHL expands Unilever warehousing capacity

March 14, 2012 Peter Steele

DHL Supply Chain has opened its expanded capacity warehouse for long-term customer Unilever, marking the end of a 21 month project. The Cannock, Staffordshire, centre has the capacity to house 100,000 pallets and will handle all of Unilever’s homecare and ambient food lines for the UK and Ireland – including brands such as Persil, Marmite and PG Tips. Expanding the Cannock site – designed specifically to bring both product categories under the same roof for combined customer orders- has also […]

Culina shortens Tesco’s ambient supply chain

March 13, 2012 Hayley Pink

Culina Logistics has shortened ambient supply chains for supermarket giant Tesco, with the roll-out of a new ‘Day 1 for Day 2’ delivery service. The logistics firm will consolidate suppliers’ deliveries at its multi-user facility in Wolverhampton, for onward trunking to Tesco’s NDC network on a six-day Monday to Saturday cycle. Culina says the ambient grocery market has traditionally operated with orders being placed on Day 1 for delivery on Day 3 across a five-day Monday to Friday cycle, but […]

News extra: Kuehne + Nagel on growth track

March 13, 2012 Steve Hobson

International Swiss-based freight and logistics business Kuehne + Nagel reaped the benefits of its long term growth strategy with record results in the 12 months to 31 December 2011. Globally, K+N saw net profit rise to CHF606m (£421m) on turnover of CHF19.6bn (£13.6bn), increases of 12.2% and 9% respectively after the effect of the strong appreciation of the Swiss franc against K+N’s major trading currencies was stripped out, according to Tim Scharwath, vice-president for global air logistics. In K+N’s four […]

United Biscuits drivers complete CPC training

March 12, 2012 Peter Steele

All 68 drivers at United Biscuits have now successfully completed their final 7.5 hours of Driver CPC training. Bill Hooton, national transport controller at United Biscuits, says he is “delighted and proud” that all drivers have completed their CPCs. “We are committed to ongoing annual training and recognise the benefits, as it helps focus and maintain high standards in safety and operation performance,” he explains. “Our training gets great feedback from the drivers and they help contribute to the training […]