Exceptional answers, solutions to strategy, the voice of employers in transport and logistics alongside LEP strategy to form solutions.

Two workshops, three speakers, a capture of senior views on strategy and skills for transport around the  LEP Midlands strategy plan. Driver workforce heading almost every agenda, fuel, compliance and electric vehicles all mentioned and discussed.

Re badging the courier trailblazer – ‘Express delivery’ – Justin Moore CitySprint, ‘Its more than courier it is about all retail home delivery,’

Employer Priorities – Transport & Logistics Strategy and Action Plan

IOC has worked with LLEPs over the past year to help them understand and support the sector. The workshop reviewed the plan developed for D2N2 LEP and ranked the proposed actions in terms of importance to their businesses.  The group included national players with a significant presence in the east Midlands.

Actions associated with the current driver shortage were identified as the clear, top priority by all the employers – these included actions to build links with schools and colleges and to ensure training for new drivers and other operative roles.

The second ranked action is for ongoing dialogue with statutory bodies regarding the planning of future infrastructure and road works that will impact on logistics operations.

Significantly, the third ranked actions were those involving partnering with local authorities to create an infrastructure to enable the use of low emissions vehicles.

All the proposed actions were reviewed and all were considered to be relevant and well worth developing with the LEP and local partners.

Heads of Industry Oct 27th meeting at the Institute of Directors Pall Mall London SW1

Clydesdale bank had sponsored the most senior network IOC briefing of the year, it was transport talk from the start with a bacon butty lunch to set the tone of logistics vision on an employer focus.

First the round table workshops, then a report on the three guest speakers between the strategy round table workshops,

John Nolan UK Mail contributing strategy vision, Jon Stockton TNT to his right, Robert Massey Rush to his left

Workshop comments at the Heads of Industry Oct 27th meeting at the Institute of Directors Pall Mall London SW1

Carl Lomas, Chairman Inst of Couriers, ‘This is about the employer views, a coalition opportunity for employers to make a govt European bid supporting the next generation of workforce as home delivery shift from retail high street changes our sector forever.’

Chris Bowden, Pallex, the freight networks are struggling to get driver, time to get the drivers examined is a real problem, using agency drivers is not the solution.

Robert Massey, Rush Couriers.  ‘we need less barriers in driver training to keep our workforce flexible.

John Nolan UK Mail, ‘DFT question, Can you give us the numbers coming through?’ ‘Chaz, circa 120 thousand drivers through in last 12 months, as many as 90% below twenty five years of age, I believe the younger numbers are picking up. ‘

Tracey Worth IOC & Logistics professor LMU, ‘there is unanimous employer support for the apprenticeship to form a solution to the driver shortage problem.’

Justin Moore, CitySprint. ‘Enterprise is important, we need apprentices to do business. A full understanding of the supply chain is needed, After driving you may become a controller and that is another skill set, we need individuals to see the wider skill set in our sector.’

Allison Kemp AIM, ‘Telling our next generation what logistics is, that’s the key to our future workforce understanding our sector and taking on a challenge that will from them a  career for life.’

David Jacobs, DX,’ Newcomers, need to understand our industry, there are great routes ahead, the apprenticeship needs to be an ongoing assessment, a modular form, the standard looks good, some more detail on security would be good content.

BIS, Gerri Swift ’12 months is the minimum, we need to see employer contribution is strong and supportive of the trailblazer. The next submission is end of November and then it goes before the sector, are employers interested and what this standard. The standard then goes to the Minister for approval.’

Staff Sergeant John Rock with a review of a heavy vehicle route to train C plus e licence. A civilian can sign as a reservist and take the heavy licence with us at no cost to the employer.’ ‘Someone can walk through our door with no licence and we will train them.’ ‘We have a pathway and its already in use, clearly candidates will become soldiers in a reservist environment.’

John Bowman IOC. ‘Failure to approve the first courier trailblazer submission has been about the 12 month period fit to the trailblazer and its justification for stretch and the job role.’ Justin Moore has chaired the employer group and he has questions for you today to answer where you believe the role outline should be described. Unaniomusly supporting the existing standard is good.’

Jon Stockton TNT, ‘a concept to grow the business of being a courier, we must be sure our couriers have business understanding, weather the courier is self employed or a an existing business. ‘

Carly Balls, JC Balls Ripley, ‘A message about our sector to the youth from schools will find the drivers of the future.’

Simon Nelson MD - Nelson distribution ‘Stress needs to be manged for our next generation, the drive for delivery numbers, dealing with technology and vehicles is become a major factor we need to train to get this job done well and correctly.

Kevin Buchanan MD - Pall-Ex ‘Sector needs investment, incentives and a cut in fuel duty.’

Robert Massey, ‘Its important to get more newcomers into the industry, we need to recognise self employment’

John Nolan UK Mail, ‘ The first point in the trailblazer standard on customer service is key, brand standards into the mind-set is very important and must be in the training and ongoing. Training must be ongoing,

Chris Bowden, Pallex, ‘Where do you go from being a driver, whats the next step, we need to showcase progression. Representing brands, both our own and the retailers in the chain makes for better couriers. Technology is becoming demanding from sat nav to delivery data. We need individuals out on the road. ‘

John Nolan: ‘ Roads congestion, UK mail new hub at Nottingham- in and out of Nottingham roads, M1 pinch points and road works. Huge issue of travel time.’

Justin Moore, CitySprint: ‘adoption of low emission vehicles, move from diesel and investment of sustainable vehicles. Push bike s great short range vehicles are good but no value for money of any vehicles.’

Robert Massey: ‘parking controls, action one. Provide solutions of parking.’

Institute of Couriers Heads of Industry Oct workshop for strategy in transport

The three guest speakers, Clydesdale Bank, DFT and Sheffield Hallam Univ, Dr Jonathan Gorst, return Logistics.

Mike Baker Clydesdale, diesel derivatives and fuel price.

Diesel is a hot topic for the sector. Last year oil peaked at well over a hundred US dollars a barrel and the price has since then more than halved. Improved technology and fracking has led to a huge supply increase in oil, and with global demand growth slowing and economic sentiment rolling over, prices have dramatically collapsed as a result. OPEC has been clear they will not stop pumping and this has left a substantial over-supply, depressing prices in the short term significantly.

For UK consumers this has led to some of the lowest fuel prices in recent memory. Wholesale spot diesel prices (ULSD10) were around 75% higher a year ago and are currently at levels last seen in early 2009 and early 2007. Within 1 year of the last time we saw these lows, prices had shot back up by 75%+, and businesses are concerned this may happen again if global oil production is cut and demand recovers faster than expected.

Clydesdale Bank is uniquely able to offer fuel price fixing facilities to SMEs to effectively fix the price of fuel (ULSD10) for volumes of as little as 50,000 litres a month using an average rate diesel swap. Subject to credit, this facility can be provided on a standalone, un-secured basis with no margin calls regardless of where main banking is done currently. Customers continue to buy diesel as they do currently with the peace of mind that they are protected from fuel price spikes, enabling them to focus on costs which are within their control and growing their business’s turnover and profitability.

Chaz Wright DFT, senior briefing key issues.

‘A few words on VOSA DVSA merger, information in today is 99% of compliance achieved for the roadside checks on heavy vehicles. Focus on driver recruitment, haulage, getting examiners through the doors to bring cat c tests for lorry drivers. Cat b test detail handed out, use of sat nav, future tests will be conducted on sat nav technology. CPC, 30million hours delivered. An issue, it has moved older drivers out and we are working to get the next generation thorough as soon as possible. ‘

Dr Jonathan Gorst, Sheffield Hallam university, Reverse logistics

‘An academic view on return logistics with numbers that shocked the employers, Jonathan focused a real world view against formal research, full lecture on the IOC web, Jonathan invited the UK to the Sheffield Hallam University showcase event on return logistics November 24th.

David Cormack, Mike Baker - Clydesdale Bank, John Nolan UK Mail, Staff Sgt. John Rock RLC

Justin Moore, CitySprint director with Mike Alvi and Robert Massey Rush

 Clydesdale IOC Heads of Industry event at the IOD, Pall Mall London SW1