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Interviews – Page 5
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Article"Everything's picking up" - contract wins drive growth at Archbold
Archbold MD Alan MaherThe old saying that you make your own luck could easily have been written for distribution specialist Archbold Logistics.When the pandemic began wreaking havoc on sectors like events, hospitality and construction back in March, MD Alan Maher (pictured) remained confident that his own business could fight off ...
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Article"We've had to right-size the business" – Simon Hobbs on a challenging first 10 months as Kinaxia chief executive
When Simon Hobbs says his induction as new Kinaxia boss wasn't what he expected it sounds like the understatement of the year. Within weeks of taking the reins back in late January, the Covid crisis saw volumes across the group slump by 35% and cash quickly begin to drain.In what ...
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Article
New association gives a voice to UK training providers
The launch of a new independent trade association for vocational transport training providers gives the sector a collective voice for the first time.The Logistics Skills Network (LSN) has been a long time in the making, but the catalyst for its formation came earlier this year, as professional training ground to ...
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Article"B2B carriers have got a problem" - DPD boss Dwain McDonald on surging volumes and the Brexit "car crash"
My interview with DPD chief executive Dwain McDonald coincides neatly with yet another milestone in the parcel carrier’s rapid growth over recent months.“This week we had our eight millionth person download our app in the UK,” he tells me excitedly. “I’ve got more people than Tinder!”He has good reason to ...
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Article"It's a win-win" - Pall-Ex group chief executive Kevin Buchanan on the Fortec deal and how he's set to revolutionise the business
When news broke in June that Pall-Ex was about to take over the Fortec Distribution Network, many saw the move as a major consolidation of the pallet sector.But as the dust settles on the deal, which comes only nine months after the management buyout which saw Pall-Ex founder Hilary Devey ...
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Article"Digital marketplace the new battleground" - Wincanton chief executive reveals future strategy
A lot has happened since I last interviewed Wincanton chief executive James Wroath (pictured) back in January. The upshot being that we’re now chatting from our homes via Zoom rather than sitting in the back office of a Sainsbury’s depot in north London.But as the company shrugs off the impact ...
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ArticleNext invests in warehousing to expand online capacity
Fashion retailer Next has made an art form out of integrating physical retail with its online presence, as its results for the 12 months to 25 January 2020 showed. But even it has not been immune from the impact of Covid-19.Since the early 1990s, Next has operated its own inhouse ...
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Cullimore looking ahead to a brighter future as lockdown starts to ease
Gloucestershire haulier Cullimore Group has seen the vast majority of its work dry up since the Covid-19 lockdown began on March 23, but MD Moreton Cullimore remains optimistic that things can only get better.Recalling going to his Whitminster HQ the day after lockdown Cullimore said: “It was weird seeing 95% ...
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Truck makers see green shoots emerging from Covid-19 darkness
The UK transport industry has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, and continues to face some serious challenges. However, having spoken to the UK MD’s of all eight major truck manufacturers, Commercial Motor editor Will Shiers found positive signs of recovery.Mike Belk, MD, Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK“It certainly hasn’t been ...
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ArticleCullimore Group looks to a changing future while keeping its family values
Formed in Whitminster in 1927 as Moreton C Cullimore, the Cullimore Group’s two-tone green trucks have been a familiar sight on Gloucester’s roads for over 90 years.The current MD Moreton Cullimore – who shares the same first name as his late grandfather and founder of the business – has gradually ...
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ArticleNew Wincanton chief executive: "We'll target supply chains that are less mature"
“It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster start,” James Wroath laughs, as he begins describing his first five months as chief executive of Wincanton.Most notably, of course, he immediately threw himself into the battle for control of Eddie Stobart Logistics, whose shares were suspended on his fourth day in the ...
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ArticleNational Grid gears up to provide en route charging capacity for electric and hydrogen vehicles
At the recent FT Future of Mobility summit, National Grid project director for electric vehicles Graeme Cooper presented on the future of road transport. Motor Transport caught up with him to take a more detailed look at the role of the grid in enabling electric vehicle charging.While HGVs powered by ...
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ArticleAsset Alliance continues to grow its truck contract and leasing fleet despite Brexit uncertainty
The contract hire sector has seen some high-profile failures in recent months, but Asset Alliance Group continues to go from strength to strength as chief executive Willie Paterson tells Steve Hobson.With 5,000 owned assets, plus a further 1,500 under fleet management contracts, Asset Alliance Group has grown steadily since it ...
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ArticleMiniclipper Logistics: "We're an IT company that happens to deliver stuff!"
They may take different sides on Brexit, but when it comes to running a haulage business the husband and wife team at Miniclipper Logistics are definitely on the same page.Despite the challenging times, the company has just revealed a 17% increase in turnover for the year ending 31 May ...
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ArticleOne year on, RHA boss Richard Burnett delivers his verdict on the APPG on freight and logistics
John Williams, Sir Mike Penning and Richard BurnettIt is now one year since Sir Mike Penning MP set up a new all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on road freight and logistics with three primary goals: to help ease the chronic shortage of HGV drivers; improve the image of the industry in ...
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ArticleFTA: 'Bigger disruptors than Brexit are coming and you need to be ready...'
It’s fair to say FTA chief executive David Wells has got plenty on his plate right now. Not only is the logistics industry stuck squarely in the middle of Brexit, but a range of what he calls “other big disruptors” are making these increasingly challenging times for his members.However, as ...
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ArticleBibby Distribution talks company culture, back to basics and 'Employer of Choice' ambition
When MT last met with Bibby Distribution in the summer of 2017, the business was hard at work getting ‘back to the basics’ of strengthening its core transport and warehousing operations.This included a network overhaul focusing on key geographical locations, investment in new fleet and warehousing management systems, reviewing low-margin ...
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ArticleVolvo Trucks MD brings bus experience to bear on greener trucks
The major truck importers seem to turn over MDs almost as fast as Premier League football clubs and the latest incumbent at Volvo Trucks Robert Grozdanovski recently took over following Arne Knaben’s five year stint.Grozdanovski comes to Warwick after eight years in Eastern Europe and says that within reason Volvo ...
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Taking the best of everything drives growth at XPO
Malcolm Wilson was appointed CEO of XPO Logistics Europe in September 2017 – well-deserved recognition for the work he did integrating the UK operation over the previous 12 years.Wilson, who has 25 years’ experience in the logistics industry, was MD of Christian Salvesen when it was acquired by French 3PL ...
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ArticleNew generation steers Farrall's Group towards future growth
The third generation of family firm Farrall’s Group has stepped forward to take over the reins of the business.Siblings Kat and Matthew Farrall (pictured) have become joint MDs of the Chester-based haulage and warehousing firm with the aim of expanding the company’s customer base and boosting annual turnover from £9.4m ...