Yusen Logistics (UK): Navigating Supply Chain Solutions with a Global Edge

Making connections

Benefitting from the support of the global Yusen Group, Yusen Logistics (UK) offers a ‘can do’ approach to supply chain solutions

Aspecialist in freight forwarding, contract logistics and origin cargo management, Yusen Logistics (UK) has spent the last 35 years amassing a strong reputation in the United Kingdom as a reliable partner in supply chain solutions. Established in 1985, the company utilizes high quality infrastructure and proven IT systems to provide logistics services across a range of industries, including the automotive, aerospace, retail, healthcare, technology and food sectors.

As a member of the Yusen Group, Yusen Logistics (UK) is supported by an organization operating across 46 countries worldwide and with access to a global workforce of more than 24,000 employees. The result is that the UK firm retains the agility to stay flexible in the face of market fluctuations and changing customer expectations, as well as possessing the infrastructure required to provide resilient, market-leading services.

Along with an experienced team of 1400 employees, Yusen Logistics (UK) currently has 15 warehouse locations, totaling more than 1.8 million square feet of working space. Speaking to Transportation & Logistics International, the company’s Managing Director, Andy Fitt, explains that much of the firm’s success has been derived from a strong focus on collaboration, service and relationship building.

“We have a service driven culture within our DNA and an all-important ‘must get through’ attitude that our customers deserve,” Andy states. “Yusen Logistics (UK) works closely with our clients to ensure that their requirements can be met, no matter the challenge. There is a strong desire to provide a service that goes above and beyond what others in the sector can offer. We want all our customers to feel that we are helping them improve their own key business metrics.”

As part of the company’s expansion efforts in the last five years, Yusen Logistics (UK) acquired ILG in 2017 to help enhance its offering within the fashion and beauty sectors, as well as grow its e-commerce services. More recently, in 2020, the firm moved to new offices in Sunderland to support its Healthcare Control Tower. New operating sites have also been introduced at Wolverton, Bradville and Northampton. According to Andy, technological evolution has been a focus, too.

“Like many businesses, we are concentrating on improving our digital roadmap to meet the needs of the company and our stakeholders for the next five years,” he says. “Each section of our business has a clear plan of investments and benefits, which are joined up to ensure we have a co-ordinated path towards continued success.

“The main thrust of our technology planning has been around creating better and faster management information so that all members of our teams, and our customers’ teams, can make informed decisions quickly. In the short term, of course, we have had to deal with the obvious challenges of Covid-19, developing applications that allow us to remotely book office space and hot desks in a way that is suitable for mobile handsets and tablets.”

As Andy suggests, Yusen Logistics (UK) has not avoided the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, but after being named as an essential business early on in the crisis, the company acted quickly to ensure that it offered the best possible service in line with Covid restrictions. Aided by the proactive nature of its business continuity planning process, Yusen Logistics (UK) has maintained service to all distribution channels throughout the entirety of the pandemic, even to countries like Italy, where some of the most stringent lockdown measures have been in place.

“I must say that the response we had from our customers, suppliers and our Yusen people was amazing and I would like to put on record my thanks to everyone. I think because this is a challenge for us all – not just supply chain businesses – we have really seen all parties pull together and make it happen,” Andy declares. “When the dust settles, we will look back and reflect, but the pandemic has been a great example of the necessity to have robust risk management and business continuity plans in place.”

The effects of Covid-19 are set to linger beyond 2020, but it won’t be the only issue that businesses are forced to tackle in the New Year. The UK will leave the European Union in January 2021 and so, like most of its peers, Yusen Logistics (UK) is now turning its attentions to Brexit.

“We have established a Brexit team to work on our internal processes and training needs, as well as holding regular briefings with our customers,” Andy reveals. “Like everyone else, we are trying to prepare for the somewhat unknown, but we have significantly extended our customs brokerage team and added 30 new rigids to our UK fleet to cope with increased customer volumes.”

Though the possibility of a much-needed Covid-19 vaccine continues to gain traction, 2021 still seems to offer a fair deal of uncertainty for the business world. However, like the positive growth trajectory of Yusen Logistics (UK), Andy believes that some trends are here to stay.

“In logistics, I think the online shopping habits we have seen will largely remain in place, albeit there will probably be some temporary initial shifts back to the high street as people enjoy getting out and about again,” Andy predicts. “Within Yusen, we are very excited about our plans for growth and we can feel a real momentum as we move forward with our digital roadmaps and five-year plan. It is pleasing to see that the market agrees with us and new customers continue to join us to share these benefits.”

Yusen Logistics
www.yusen-logistics.com
Services: Supply chain solutions