The Logistics Awards 2017 on September 21 at Grange St Paul’s Hotel in London, will seek to honour those who have positively impacted the logistics industry over the past year across various categories.
The event will see the first ever The Logistics 100 Award be given to the most influential person in the market, along with 12 other prizes. We chat to some of this year’s finalists on some of the opinions they have of the sector they have been nominated in.
For more thoughts and opinions from this year's finalists, please read the upcoming September issue of SHD Logistics.
Corporate Social Responsibility Award
How satisfying was the CSR project you’ve submitted to win, to work on?
DP World London Gateway managed to get students at a primary school in Essex involved in a local community artwork project
Extremely satisfying. From day one, those working on the project here (click here to read its community work) have engaged with the local community closely, but this scheme gave us chance to engage in a new way and with Year 3 to 6 pupils of local primary and secondary schools, building on good relationships we already have with schools. We were able to inform them about engineering and logistics (including the DP World London Gateway project) and in turn they researched and taught us about some of the history of the local area. We have received an enormous amount of positive feedback from the local community and we’re told that some of the local schools have actually visited the subway during their history classes. The buy-in from the local community is highlighted by the fact that, now, some 16 months after completion, the subway mural remains entirely clean of any graffiti, which would commonly be found on the walls of a subway and was certainly present prior to the project. The subway has also experienced a significant increase in cycle and pedestrian use.”
Trevor Hutchinson
Head of Planning
DP World
Future Skills Award
How have the skills, which young people are entering the industry with, changed since you started working in logistics?
The transformation in attitude of the students is remarkable. When we enter the room they often aren’t sure why we are there, what DP World is as a business and what the business does. As soon as they realise 90% of goods are shipped around the world, you can see their faces change. By the end of the sessions there is an excitement and general eagerness among students to understand more about the industry and aim to achieve better grades so they can apply for roles that will be created here in the future.
Emma Deary
Sustainability Manager
DP World
Operations (SME) Award
What are the opportunities and challenges you find working operating as an SME company?
Ribena's marketing campaign in conjunction with Fresh Logistics
Fresh Logistics is not your everyday courier service, specialising in bespoke temperature controlled projects that others can’t or won’t do. The challenges we face are generally brought about by the unique opportunities our customers present us with. This is what we thrive on, however, ensuring that they are ‘wowed’ every step of the way.
Alan White
Managing director
Fresh Logistics
Well run smaller companies are far more nimble than larger companies, decision making is quicker and there is far less office/company politics slowing things up. Another advantage of smaller companies is that you can get to know and understand the people you work with better as there are fewer of them. This aids communication, reduces misunderstanding and improves overall efficiency.
One of the challenges of working in a smaller company is getting good service from large suppliers, another challenge is being able to retain talented and ambitious employees.
Mark Oldroyd
Group Logistics director
Book People
Innovation Award
With technology constantly developing, how do you feel the rate of innovation has advanced in recent times?
Newer technologies have caused a recent widespread disruption across many industries ― whether it is autonomous vehicles, drones, faster networks or even mobile applications similar to Uber or Airbnb. It’s certainly led to a substantial and increased rate of innovation over the past few years. If your company isn’t innovating and utilising these technologies quickly, your competitors most likely will be. It’s undoubtedly an exciting time to be involved within logistics, especially as plenty of these developments seamlessly lend themselves to our industry.
Marc Cowan (pictured above)
VP Operations & Logistics
Dolphin International
Technology Innovation (SME) Award
Companies fear the large capital expenditure costs involved in deploying significant technology infrastructure tools. How difficult is it for small-sized companies to take the plunge in innovating its technology practices?
The application of innovative technology is an integral part of our strategic and financial planning. Our approach is to use our in-house IT and commercial teams to undertake research, technical development and implementation working in close collaboration with our members and their customers to deliver industry-leading and cost-effective solutions.
Dave Walmsley (pictured above)
Managing director
Palletways (UK) Ltd
Warehouse Efficiency Award
In an industry where automation is becoming an integrated facet in warehouse operations, how do you think your warehouse operations have been able to improve its operational efficiency in recent years?
Westcoast Retail has worked hard to ensure our operational efficiency keeps up with the times, investing in machinery/automation to enable a reduction in pick-pack times, additionally investing in supply chain solutions, all leading to a competitive edge, for our clients including Osram (this year's The Logistics Awards official nominee).
Carl Oxley (pictured above)
Managing director
Westcoast Retail
Inside Industore
Those who have not yet embraced the overwhelming advantages of ‘automation’ will have already been left behind. Take the example at First Choice Group; apart from their progressive management, the undoubted driver for their success is an impressive automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) that has revolutionised their business model. Total control, speed, economy of picks, formerly unheard of accuracy levels, and therefore, customer satisfaction is the impressive result that has been achieved within their new parts centre. In addition to a premier AS/RS hardware system, the architectural and engineering logic takes on a critical role within any such application and partnership. First Choice Group has enthusiastically embraced this technology and its growth is testament to this strategy.
Ross Powell
Managing director
Industore Limited
New Facility Award
With space at a premium, how do you go about tackling creating a facility that is not just only modern, but also is highly efficient and meets today’s required standards?
Culina Group is the third party logistics provider at the Great Bear Markham Vale site
There are many factors that come in to play when selecting a new site for a logistics facility including customer requirements, a prime location, ease of access to major roadways, energy efficiency and more. We work very closely with developers to ensure all requirements are met and that the facility is at the forefront of technology whilst allowing us to further enhance our capacity to serve.
Thomas van Mourik
CEO
Culina Group
It's not too late to register your place at this year's event. If you’re interested in booking a table at the industry event of the year, please submit a booking form here or contact Joel Martin or Christine Attew who would be happy to assist you.
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Full list of The Logistics Awards nominees
Corporate Social Responsibility Award
DP World London Gateway
Oakland International
Environment/Sustainability Award
DPD Group UK
Heineken UK with Asda
McCulla
Future Skills Award
DHL Supply Chain
DP World London Gateway
South Essex College
Uniserve
Growth Award
Culina Group
Dalepak
Fortec Distribution Network
Pallet-Track
XPO Logistics & Office Depot
Innovation Award (sponsored by Continental Tyres)
Dolphin Innovation
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Pallet-Track
The Pallet Network (TPN)
Wienerberger
XPO Logistics
New Facility Award (sponsored by SEC Storage)
Barnes Logistics
Culina Group
First Choice Group
iPort and Verdion with Amazon
Pharmacy2U
Team Leidos and MoD
The Wilkins Group
Operations (Large) Award (sponsored by Toyota Material Handling)
Hermes
Prolog with Mothercare
Tuffnells Parcels
Operations (SME) Award (sponsored by Toyota Material Handling)
Book People
Feelunique
Fresh Logistics Services
McCulla
Walker Logistics
Safety Award (sponsored by Mentor)
O'Donovan Waste Disposal
Owens Group UK
Travis Perkins
Technology Innovation (Large) Award
Europa Worldwide Group
Fox's Biscuits
Hargreaves Logistics
Panalpina World Transport
Technology Innovation (SME) Award
Dolphin Innovation
Haul & Store
Palletways UK
Post Logistics
Qardio with Flexport
Secured Mail
The Pallet Network (TPN)
Warehouse Efficiency Award
First Choice Group
Tesco
The Wilkins Group
Osram
Richard Johnston
Vygon
Editor's Choice Award
The Logistics Award
Good luck to all our finalists at this year’s awards!
