The freight and logistics industry has faced what can only be described as a ‘perfect storm’ in recent years. First came Brexit, then Covid-19 and now the war in Ukraine. Combined, they have brought a triple wave of challenges to the sector — driver shortages, congestion at ports and a huge hike in the price of fuel.
Nevertheless, our managing director Anton Gunter, remains optimistic about the future of international trade and resilience of the freight and logistics industry.
He said: “We have had a perfect storm. Starting with the Brexit vote and the changes that brought, then Covid caused problems globally and now we have congestion at ports, the war in Ukraine and the severe impact that is having on fuel prices and the availability of drivers.
“We have had to cope with lots of issues, but we are a robust industry, and we do what we can to keep goods moving for our customers.
“I would say it’s the most challenging time in my 25-year career so far, and the impact on trade is being felt worldwide, not just here in the UK.
“We have learned many lessons and the single biggest piece of advice I would give to any business is to manage customer expectations.
“The ongoing difficulties and delays are not going to go away any time soon. Businesses need to keep communicating with their customers and be realistic about the length of time it is now taking to move goods from one location to the next, so that they can build this into their supply chains.
“As for rising costs, we all need to do our bit to alleviate the overall impact on consumers where possible. There is a sense that if we strive together, we will thrive together and in business that sometimes means looking at our profitability, taking a bit less and sharing the burden.”
Anton shared his thoughts on the current challenges facing the freight and logistics industry in a recent BBC Radio Shropshire interview with Clare Ashford. To listen to the full interview, visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bypcy4
