Dutch company ODIN Warehousing and Logistics is continuing its expansion into the UK with the opening of ODIN Transport & Shipping UK which will initially focus on accompanied and unaccompanied trailer transport between the UK and the European mainland.
The launch of ODIN Transport & Shipping UK builds on ODIN’s acquisition of Welton North Sea Trailers in January this year and sees the Welton team and its fleet integrated into the business.
Alongside the launch, ODIN announced it is scaling up the operation by adding 50 to 100 extra trailers to the fleet and collaborating directly with localized British hauliers.
ODIN Transport & Shipping UK will be responsible for organising British planning, local customer contacts, customs coordination and the build-up of return loads from the Immingham region.
The business will also work closely with ODIN’s transport and warehousing activities in the Netherlands and with an existing network of carriers and logistics partners.
ODIN said it chose to base the business in Immingham because of the area’s role as a logistics gateway for goods flowing between the UK and North-West Europe and its connections with existing links to Rotterdam and the rest of the Benelux.
Joeri Galas, ODIN Logistics chief finance officer, commented: “By also having our own organisation in the United Kingdom, we can respond more quickly, manage quality more effectively and offer customers a single point of contact for the entire route.
He added: “For us, this goes further than opening a foreign branch. We are building a network in which local knowledge, strong carriers and our own logistics organisation come together.
“This increases delivery reliability for our customers and, at the same time, creates new cargo flows and growth opportunities for our partners and for ODIN.”
Looking to the future, ODIN said the UK branch will be expanded “step by step” with the initial priority being to build up “stable cargo flows, develop long-term customer relationships and integrate the British operation into ODIN’s systems and working methods.”
