Kuehne+Nagel has joined forces with TVS Supply Chain Solutions, Turner & Townsend and Atos to create Forfield, a consortium which will bid for Ministry of Defence logistics and supply chain contracts.
The consortium aims to improve the availability of equipment and materials for operations, offering a single point of contact rather than four separate relationships.
Announcing the move, the consortium said Forfield can help defence organisations meet the evolving demands they are facing, driven by global uncertainty, increasing supply chain complexity, emerging technologies and the need to respond quickly when requirements change.
Each partner offers the different elements required by defence logistics, with Kuehne+Nagel contributing global transport, customs and supply chain management, TVS procurement, demand planning and inventory management, Atos secure digital systems and cybersecurity, and Turner & Townsend programme management, commercial oversight and governance.
Between them the four employ more than 14,000 people in the UK and boast more than 170 years of combined experience serving defence customers. All four hold the Gold award under the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
Aaron Scott, Kuehne+Nagel UK MD, said: “Forfield combines the complementary expertise of four highly experienced partners to support the evolving logistics requirements of the UK Defence sector.
“Kuehne+Nagel brings its UK and global logistics expertise to ensure critical equipment and materials reach the right place at the right time.”
Roger West, TVS Supply Chain Solutions MD for defence and government, added: “In an increasingly unpredictable environment, operational readiness depends on visibility, insight and agility across the supply chain.
“As demands evolve, organisations need supply chains that can adapt quickly, perform consistently and remain resilient in the face of disruption.”
Chloe Hoggard, Atos head of public sector and defence, UK&I, commented: “Today’s defence operations require secure, sovereign and AI-enabled digital foundations that can turn data into operational advantage.
“We understand the need to develop a supply chain for the ‘never normal’ world we now live in where resilience and the ability to adapt to unknown events is key.”
Sam Turner, UK defence director at Turner & Townsend, said: “The most capable programmes connect commercial data, schedule performance, risk indicators, digital capability and supplier health into a single decision-making environment.
“In complex programme environments, mapping these components across the entire supply chain is where genuine value is built.”
