Spotlight
Pallet-Track owner northstarr acquires UPN to create largest UK pallet network
Technology-led logistics specialist northstarr Group has acquired United Pallet Network (UK), creating the UK’s largest national pallet network.
Latest news
Industry welcomes reports that Healey’s Budget will lock in fuel duty freeze
Media reports that the Chancellor John Healey will continue the freeze on fuel duty in the Budget tomorrow (28 October) are raising hopes in the logistics industry.
Telford Transport Solutions sold for £320,000 and rebranded Lloyd Baker Logistics
Telford Transport Solutions has been sold for £320,000 to Lloyd Baker Leather, part of the Lloyd Baker Group, in a pre-pack deal which keeps the core management team at the helm and sees the company rebadged as Lloyd Baker Logistics.
Connected fleet technology helps Albion slash fleet claim costs by 74%
Albion Fine Foods has boosted its cold chain visibility and cut claim costs using Webfleet, Bridgestone’s advanced fleet management solution, alongside Prolius’ AI fleet management software, the company revealed this week.
Industry welcomes reports that Healey’s Budget will lock in fuel duty freeze
Media reports that the Chancellor John Healey will continue the freeze on fuel duty in the Budget tomorrow (28 October) are raising hopes in the logistics industry.
Telford Transport Solutions sold for £320,000 and rebranded Lloyd Baker Logistics
Telford Transport Solutions has been sold for £320,000 to Lloyd Baker Leather, part of the Lloyd Baker Group, in a pre-pack deal which keeps the core management team at the helm and sees the company rebadged as Lloyd Baker Logistics.
Connected fleet technology helps Albion slash fleet claim costs by 74%
Albion Fine Foods has boosted its cold chain visibility and cut claim costs using Webfleet, Bridgestone’s advanced fleet management solution, alongside Prolius’ AI fleet management software, the company revealed this week.
Pallet-Track owner northstarr acquires UPN to create largest UK pallet network
Technology-led logistics specialist northstarr Group has acquired United Pallet Network (UK), creating the UK’s largest national pallet network.
Logistics ‘doubles your money’, industry tells Chancellor ahead of Budget
Every £1 of economic activity directly generated by the logistics sector more than doubles its value providing another £1.04 across the wider economy, according to new research from business group Logistics UK.
DPD pledges 24,000 mentoring sessions amid youth employment crisis
Parcel delivery giant DPD UK has launched a mentoring programme delivering 24,000 mentoring sessions in its first year to 16- to 25-year-olds across the UK.
HGV people smuggling network dismantled by NCA as final members convicted
HGV drivers are being warned against being recruited by people smuggling gangs after five men involved in hiding people in lorries to transport them to France were found guilty of people smuggling.
CIHT urges government to unlock up to £2.2bn through long-term highways funding
The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) is calling on the government to move to long-term funding for local highway maintenance, arguing that a five-year funding model could unlock up to £2.2 billion in efficiency savings for reinvestment in the local road network.
Industry welcomes reports that Healey’s Budget will lock in fuel duty freeze
Telford Transport Solutions sold for £320,000 and rebranded Lloyd Baker Logistics
Connected fleet technology helps Albion slash fleet claim costs by 74%
Pallet-Track owner northstarr acquires UPN to create largest UK pallet network
Logistics ‘doubles your money’, industry tells Chancellor ahead of Budget
DPD pledges 24,000 mentoring sessions amid youth employment crisis
HGV people smuggling network dismantled by NCA as final members convicted
CIHT urges government to unlock up to £2.2bn through long-term highways funding
Operator news
Telford Transport Solutions sold for £320,000 and rebranded Lloyd Baker Logistics
Telford Transport Solutions has been sold for £320,000 to Lloyd Baker Leather, part of the Lloyd Baker Group, in a pre-pack deal which keeps the core management team at the helm and sees the company rebadged as Lloyd Baker Logistics.
Connected fleet technology helps Albion slash fleet claim costs by 74%
Albion Fine Foods has boosted its cold chain visibility and cut claim costs using Webfleet, Bridgestone’s advanced fleet management solution, alongside Prolius’ AI fleet management software, the company revealed this week.
Pallet-Track owner northstarr acquires UPN to create largest UK pallet network
Technology-led logistics specialist northstarr Group has acquired United Pallet Network (UK), creating the UK’s largest national pallet network.
DPD pledges 24,000 mentoring sessions amid youth employment crisis
Parcel delivery giant DPD UK has launched a mentoring programme delivering 24,000 mentoring sessions in its first year to 16- to 25-year-olds across the UK.
Strike averted as XPO boosts pay for Arla HGV drivers and warehouse workers
Around 500 Hatfield HGV drivers and warehouse workers on XPO’s Arla contract have won a “much-improved” pay offer after balloting in favour of strike action, union Unite announced today (26 October).
Evri and Biffa expand fleets as TIP and GXO cut numbers
The latest Motor Transport Fleet Data figures for October show significant changes among the UK’s largest transport and distribution operators, with Evri and Biffa among those recording the biggest fleet expansions.
Pioneering overhead electric charging gantry unveiled at Bidfood's Slough depot
Wholesaler Bidfood has opened a space-saving four-bay overhead charging gantry at its Slough depot, which the company claims is the first of its kind at a UK commercial transport depot.
Fraikin sees off rivals to supply 15 Mercedes-Benz eSprinters to Classic Fine Foods
Fraikin has beaten rivals to win a competitive tender for the supply of 15 new 3.5-tonne electric vans, as part of a five-year contract hire deal with premium food distributor Classic Fine Foods
GXO on hunt for over 1,200 staff as Debenhams’ fulfilment operations return to Burnley
Fashion, home and beauty retailer Debenhams Group is moving its fulfilment operations back to Burnley, through a new global distribution partnership with GXO Logistics, which is expected to create over 1,200 jobs.
Culina names new CEO as Liam McElroy moves to non-executive role
Fabian Koehler is to become chief executive of Culina Group on 1 February 2027, succeeding Liam McElroy, who will move into a non-executive director role.
Administration watch
Lincolnshire port haulier failed after customer pulled plug
A successful transport company with an operating centre in Immingham collapsed after losing 80% of its business in a single hit when a customer chose sea freight services over road haulage, according to its administrator.
Clugston Distribution files notice of intention to appoint administrator
Clugston Distribution Services has filed papers in court notifying its intention to appoint an administrator.
Iconic Scottish haulier James S Hislop closes its doors
The Scottish Borders-based haulier James S Hislop (Haulage Contractors) has ceased trading after 38 years in business.
Sponsored content
- Previous
- Next
Industry news
Industry welcomes reports that Healey’s Budget will lock in fuel duty freeze
Media reports that the Chancellor John Healey will continue the freeze on fuel duty in the Budget tomorrow (28 October) are raising hopes in the logistics industry.
Logistics ‘doubles your money’, industry tells Chancellor ahead of Budget
Every £1 of economic activity directly generated by the logistics sector more than doubles its value providing another £1.04 across the wider economy, according to new research from business group Logistics UK.
HGV people smuggling network dismantled by NCA as final members convicted
HGV drivers are being warned against being recruited by people smuggling gangs after five men involved in hiding people in lorries to transport them to France were found guilty of people smuggling.
CIHT urges government to unlock up to £2.2bn through long-term highways funding
The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) is calling on the government to move to long-term funding for local highway maintenance, arguing that a five-year funding model could unlock up to £2.2 billion in efficiency savings for reinvestment in the local road network.
‘Certainty, not subsidies’: Aegis chief calls on Chancellor to back electric truck transition
Aegis Energy is investing in the infrastructure it believes will underpin the decarbonisation of road freight, but CEO Michael Shaw says the industry needs long-term policy certainty, support for electric truck residual values and clarity over future grants if the transition is to gather pace
Give operators 15p Fuel Duty rebate to prevent cash-flow crisis, RHA tells government
The RHA has launched a major campaign push ahead of the upcoming Budget, warning MPs that escalating fuel costs are severely squeezing operator margins, locking up working capital, and threatening the viability of essential transport contracts.
Police promise crackdown on HGV thieves hunting ‘rich pickings’
Efforts to tackle HGV crime at known hot spots in Yorkshire are ramping up in the run-up to Christmas, with police acknowledging it was a time of heightened risk.
Transaid celebrates two decades of partnership with Zambia training centre
Transaid Patron, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, together with over 100 transport and logistics development representatives gathered in London this week, as the charity celebrated 20 years of partnership with Zambia’s Industrial Training Centre (ITC).
Decarbonisation hits a ‘cost wall’: customers unwilling to cough up
Operators said the cost of cutting their emissions is now their biggest obstacle and had overtaken infrastructure as their number one headache – because customers won’t pay more for decarbonisation.
Leyland Trucks pays tribute to generations of staff service
Leyland Trucks has recognised almost 2,000 years of combined service among 66 employees reaching career milestones this year.
Interviews
‘Certainty, not subsidies’: Aegis chief calls on Chancellor to back electric truck transition
Aegis Energy is investing in the infrastructure it believes will underpin the decarbonisation of road freight, but CEO Michael Shaw says the industry needs long-term policy certainty, support for electric truck residual values and clarity over future grants if the transition is to gather pace
Fagan & Whalley: We learnt the hard way on Newport
The acquisition of Alan R Jones & Sons proved a painful lesson for Fagan & Whalley, but joint MD Sam Fagan says the South Wales deal has delivered the platform the family haulier wanted as it looks to build its network and navigate a changing market
“We’ve got a lot of catching up to do”: NX sets out UK growth ambition
NX Group UK and Ireland MD Steve Williams reveals plans to double the operation to £200m revenue and 600 staff within five years
BIFA chief on freight crime, Brexit borders and sector collaboration
From sophisticated cargo fraud and post-Brexit ENS requirements to record training uptake and long-term port investment, BIFA director general Steve Parker sets out the pressures and opportunities shaping UK freight forwarding — and why working together remains the sector’s strongest asset.
“AI will disrupt haulage and create a new breed of operator…”
Microlise chief technology officer Dean Garvey-North warns that the biggest threat to established hauliers could come from new businesses built around artificial intelligence from day one
Inside Browns: How the £24m haulier is building a smarter business
From AI-powered customer service and a bespoke transport management system to a waiting list of drivers, Browns Distribution is using better data to sharpen its operation and support continued growth
northstarr: How Stuart Godman is charting a new course for logistics
After transforming the fortunes of the Pallet-Track network, chief executive Stuart Godman has launched a new logistics group bringing together transport, warehousing, and technology. He tells Tim Wallace why he believes the future lies in connecting specialist businesses rather than simply building bigger operators
Palletline 2.0: managing an evolution
Carl Moore talks to Steve Hobson about growth, technology and the future of the UK’s leading pallet network
Opinion
Fragmented AI: why transport and logistics must take security seriously
Traditionally, the transportation industry has taken a cautious approach to addressing business challenges and adopting new technologies. Because assets are expensive, margins are consistently thin and mistakes can have massive real-world consequences, fleets simply cannot afford to be early adopters of unproven solutions.
When spare HGV capacity is actually worth filling
Accepting a backload can look like an easy commercial win, but mileage, waiting time and repositioning can erode its value fast. Dumitru Martînov of Houlvek sets out a practical framework for smaller fleets and owner-drivers to assess whether an additional load genuinely stacks up.
Why the AI tools your office buys quietly die
Plenty has been written about the big implementation that disappoints. The system goes in, the project is signed off, and the operation takes a year to catch up with it. That is a real problem and it deserves the attention.
Late payment is an unsecured loan your biggest customer takes without asking
The Commercial Payments Bill addresses a real problem, but it will not help your cashflow this quarter. Harvey Dhillon, ACMA CGMA, explains what the legislation actually proposes, why haulage is structurally exposed, and which operational disciplines deliver results now — before Parliament acts.
Contracts
Hutchinson Transport wins second distribution deal with Univar
Hutchinson Transport has landed another UK distribution contract with Univar Solutions after impressing the chemicals distributor with its performance on an existing agreement.
DHL Supply Chain takes over ProCook logistics contract
DHL Supply Chain has secured a contract to manage ProCook’s retail and e-commerce logistics operations as the kitchenware retailer looks to support further growth.
Contract expansion for Evri with fulfilment partner
Evri has signed a new two-year contract with 3PL and e-commerce fulfilment specialist Haul&Store.
DX wins extended Viking deal after service gains
DX and Viking UK have expanded their partnership with a multi-year contract that sees the logistics firm take responsibility for all next-day deliveries for the workplace supplies distributor.
People moves
- Previous
- Next
