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AKW invests £2.5 million to develop new warehouses

THE storage operation of a major Manchester logistics firm has invested £2.5million to develop a new warehouse facility as it competes for new business.

AKW Group – which specialises in transport, warehousing and contract packing – has added a further 186,000 square feet to its warehousing portfolio by taking on the Bond 3 Wharfside site.

There has been a substantial investment in this facility to bring it up to the standard of the AKW Groups, landmark 26 Bond facility, on Europa Way.

"We are in an extremely competitive industry and cannot afford to stand still. Our challenge is to take our turnover beyond £25million in the next few years and this is why we are continuing to invest in developing the business," said AKW Group's Managing Director Julian Richards.

The new refurbished facility has helped it to attract major outdoor clothing manufacturer Regatta to the firm, where AKW Group will undertake stock holding, pick and pack and distribution services.

John Mulvihill, from Regatta, said: "AKW have given great support in setting up this overflow warehouse and it is great to be able to use local suppliers to support our growth, we look forward to working with AKW."

AKW now has more than 500,000 square feet of warehousing and a contract packing division that produces a range of point-of-sale production packs for companies including Procter and Gamble, Unilever, Diageo, Kelloggs, and L'Oreal.

This investment is running parallel to the £500,000 investment in the development of new offices and state of the art packing machinery in AKW's transport and contract packing divisions.

AKW also plans to expand its fleet of vehicles in the autumn.

Transport firm expands its sales operations

A Manchester logistics group has expanded its sales operation as it looks for further growth in 2011.

AKW Group – which specialises in transport, warehousing and contract packing – has invested £150,000 to more than double the size of its sales offices on Trafford Park as it aims to push the company's turnover beyond the current £16million.

"We have made this investment in our sales operations because our challenge is to continue the growth of the AKW group following the recent expansion of our warehouse and transport operation facilities on Trafford Park," said Peter Seymour, group sales manager for AKW Group.

AKW has also added three new members to its sales team.

Rob Spencer has joined AKW as a field sales executive and brings a wealth of experience in the logistics sector.

Rebecca Roberts and Alexander Buckley have joined as telesales and sales administrators to oversee the back office function of sales.

"The addition of Alexander, Rob and Rebecca is a real asset to the sales team and will enable the group to widen its target area and focus on winning new business. "The team will expand further in the coming months to make sure the sales growth of the group remains on course," added Peter.

AKW recently invested £1.92million in expanding its premises on Trafford Park meaning it now has more than 650,000 square feet of warehousing and a contract packing division that produces a range of point-of-sale production packs.

Contract packing feature

A LEADING Logistics firm which includes a specialist Contract Packing Division is investing millions of pounds in its operations as it aims to drive turnover beyond £20millon.

AKW Group has spent over £2millon on new premises, IT technology, vehicles and staff development in 2010, to provide the best possible service for its customers and win more new business in a competitive market.

The business – which is based at the landmark World Freight Centre Ltd on Trafford Park – has recently spent £1.92million expanding its premises.

"This investment combined with other further investments in the business will help to create jobs in the area and help secure an exciting future and opportunities for the business and all its employees," said AKW Chairman Tony Worthington.

The investment has increased the firm's storage capacity by over 90,000 square feet by purchasing four new warehouses at Westbrook Park from industrial property specialists SEGRO.

The new premises take the total area of Warehousing owned or leased by AKW on Trafford Park to over 500,000 square feet.

In 2004, AKW Group was operating as three separate businesses – Distribution, Warehousing and Contract Packing – but it has now come together as one company.

In the past 10 years turnover has increased from £7million to £18million, securing it as one of the country's leading logistics firms.

AKW Group's Contract Packing service offers a range of specialist product packing options including steam sleeving, gift sets, shelf ready packaging, shrink wrapping, retail pallet displays and labelling.

The company is a specialist in dealing with promotions and gift packs when clients need their stock repackaged for supermarket promotions at key selling times, such as a new product launch, Christmas or Easter.

AKW Group handles thousands of pallets every day – and major Contract Packing customers include Procter and Gamble, Unilever, Diageo, Kelloggs, and L'Oreal.

The Contract Packing Division of AKW Group has recently gone hi tech with a new £150,000 IT system called Access Supply Chain which gives customers up-to-date information on their goods during the packing process. The IT system will allow customers to trace the batches of goods it sends to AKW's Contract Packing division in real time through an online system.

"Investing in the latest technology developments is crucial to ensuring we provide the best possible service for our customers," said Rebecca Davies, director of AKW Group's Contract Packing division.

AKW invests almost £2million in new premises

A LEADING logistics firm has invested £1.92million in expanding its premises on Trafford Park.

AKW Group – which specialises in transport, warehousing and contract packing – has increased its storage capacity by over 90,000 square feet by purchasing four new warehouses at Westbrook Park from industrial property specialists SEGRO.

AKW chairman Tony Worthington said that this investment will enable the company to drive its turnover beyond £20million.

"This investment combined with other further investments in vehicles and trailers will help to create jobs in the area and help secure an exciting future and opportunities for the business and all its employees," said Tony Worthington.

The new premises take the total area of Warehousing owned or leased by AKW on Trafford Park to over 500,000 square feet.

This investment follows a £750,000 spend by AK Worthington, the transport arm of the AKW Group, on 40 new trailers to take the total in its fleet to over 100

. AKW group has also recently spent tens of thousands of pounds in more fuel-efficient engines and driver training and a further £150,000 on new IT systems in the past year and is also planning an investment of over £500,000 in its vehicle fleet early in 2011.

Julian Richards, Managing Director of AKW Group, said: "Our commitment to providing the best possible quality of service means that despite the economic challenges that our industry continues to face we are able to maintain our investment in driving the business forward.

"We have a growing list of clients including major blue chip companies and our latest investments enable us to provide an even better service for all our new and existing customers." .

Haulage firm invests in 40 new trailers

“A MANCHESTER haulage firm is planning for an upturn in the economy by investing £750,000 in 40 new trailers – taking the total in its fleet to over 100.

AK Worthington, part of the AKW Group based at Trafford Park, has made the investment as many UK firms show strong signs of recovery from the recession.

The new Lawrence David trailers have a larger capacity and will allow AK Worthington's customers to transport more goods in one journey.

"We expect to see UK businesses continue to shake off the recession and for the economy to grow over the next year. With this in mind we want to ensure we are in a position to offer our new and existing customers greater flexibility to transport more of their goods," said Jason Bradley, Operations Manager for AK Worthington Ltd.

In the past 10 years AKW Group's focus on a flexible and reliable service has seen its turnover rise to £18million, securing it as one of the country's leading privately owned hauliers

. AK Worthington's new trailers half a meter taller than others in its fleet, meaning the overall capacity of each trailer is 20 per cent bigger. This is ideal for customers wanting to transport more light freight such as packaging, clothing, furnishings and paper products.

"This is a major investment at a time when many other transport firms still have concerns about the economy. I believe however that to stay competitive it is important to invest in the latest technology to provide the best possible service for customers," said Julian Richards, Managing Director of AK Worthington Ltd.

The group has also spent tens of thousands of pounds in more fuel-efficient engines and driver training and a further £150,000 on new IT systems in the past year and is also planning an investment of almost £750,000 in its vehicle fleet early in 2011

Contract Packing firm invests in new £150K IT system

A UK firm that carries out packing for some of the world's leading brands is preparing to go online with a new £150,000 IT system.

The Contract Packing division of AKW Group is investing in a system called Access Supply Chain which gives customers up-to-date information on their goods during the packing process.

AKW Group's Contract Packing service offers a range of specialist product packing options including gift sets, shelf ready packing, shrink wrapping, retail pallet displays and labelling.

The company is a specialist in dealing with promotions and gift packs when clients need products repackaged for supermarket promotions at key selling times, such as a new product launch, Christmas or Easter.

The IT system will allow customers to trace the batches of goods it sends to AKW's Contract Packing division in real time through an online system.

Craig Such, managing director of Access' Emley office, commented: "We're delighted to be working with AKW, and welcome them as an Access customer.

"By investing in our fully-integrated system, AKW will experience tremendous efficiencies, helping to streamline business processes across their whole organisation – including job control and warehouse management.

"Access Supply Chain is a flexible, scalable Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution that will keep AKW's customers fully informed every step of the way, helping to further enhance their customer relations. We can't wait to see AKW and their customers benefiting from the solution."

AKW Group is based at the landmark World Freight Centre Ltd, at Trafford Park, handling thousands of pallets every day, and major Contract Packing customers include Procter and Gamble, Diageo, Kelloggs, and L'Oreal.

"Our Contract Packing service requires us to work to completely individual and detailed specifications for each job in very short timescales. The new system will give our customers full confidence that we are able to meet these requirements and get the product to where it needs to be on time," said Rebecca Davies.

AKW Group also includes Transport and Warehousing services providing a full logistics solution for its customers.

Feature for The Delivery Magazine

Monday, May 24, 2010

HAULIER HOPES NEW GOVERNMANT WILL HELP ON FUEL

THE head of a leading haulage firm – which is facing a £1million fuel bill this year – has called on the coalition Government to tackle spiralling petrol prices.

Julian Richards, managing director of A.K. Worthington Ltd, part of the AKW Group, said duty on fuel needed to be cut or capped for the sake of the haulage industry.

“If the Government doesn’t do something quickly then more firms are going to go bust,” he said.

“My fear is that given the finances the coalition Government has inherited that things will get worse before they get better.

“But out rising fuel costs are continuing to put us in a very difficult situation because we have to pass on some of these costs to our customers in the price of our services – after we have first taken a big hit on our own margins.”

Over the past 20 years, AK Worthington’s fuel cost per litre has risen by a staggering 192 percent.

In the past 10 years alone it has risen by 80 percent.

Julian, 49 and from Cheshire, said the impact of increased fuel costs was also having a more far reaching effect on the economy as haulage customers felt the pinch of the price rises.

He said: “The current rate of fuel duty, combined with global oil prices, is seeing pump prices soar to levels which are crippling many transport operators.

“At the current pump price of £1.195p per litre the Government takes almost 75p – this figure is much higher than many countries around the globe that have also been hit by the economic downturn and it threatens the future of haulage firms up and down the UK.

“This year we will spend well in excess of £1millon pounds on our fuel – a cost which has risen by over 12 percent in five years and is having a big impact on our business.

“Something needs to be done quickly, not just to help the haulage companies, but also the country so that it can be competitive in a global market.”

Newspaper headlines over the past few years suggest petrol prices are hitting record highs all the time.

It was hoped that the General Election would produce a result that helped steady the pound and put downward pressure on the fuel pumps.

However, a further 1p rise in duty is due in October and an increase of 0.76p is set for January 2011.

Julian called on the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to do something to help the industry.

“The new government needs to work with hauliers to solve this major issue and understand that the transport industry, which provides a service that is invaluable to the UK economy, is facing a huge crisis if this problem is not addressed,” he said.

“A fuel rebate for transport firms is one option which would have a positive effect and I would welcome such a step from the Chancellor of the Exchequer.”

Trafford-based A.K Worthington Ltd has worked hard to cut its fuel bill by working in partnership with other transport organisations to reduce the amount of empty miles from 28 percent to under 10 percent of total miles travelled.

The firm has also invested tens of thousands of pounds in more fuel-efficient engines and driver training but feels that more Government support is now needed.

On average it spends £30,000 a year on training, a further £150,000 has been spent on new IT systems in the past year.

Much of that has gone towards a transport and warehouse management systems and vehicle tracking software. All of which have made the business more efficient and therefore able to reduce its costs.

“As a company I don’t think we could have done much more to help ourselves,” said Julian. “There are some companies that have not been able to move with the times and, sadly, they have gone out of business. Every year our turnover is improving and we are doing well as a company, but other firms are going to need help if they are to stay afloat.”

In 2004, AKW Group was operating as three separate businesses – distribution, warehousing and contract packing – but has now come together as one company.

In the past 10 years turnover has gone from £7million to £18million, securing it as one of the country’s leading logistics firms.

It has gone from having 80 to 300 staff and has lofty ambitions of adding even more blue chip companies to its growing list of regular clients.

“If you want to be a company with a £20million turnover then you have to start behaving like one and that is what we did,” said Julian.

“Our emphasis now is all about quality and that is one of the things that has helped turn us from a struggling business into a successful company.”

A.K Worthington Limited is an expert in the distribution of products that require first class handling and control. It has a modern fleet of distribution vehicles, all equipped with tail lifts, and offers that extra bit of expertise and professionalism that is required to keep clients satisfied and informed.

Its World Freight Centre operates and manages open book dedicated contracts for its blue chip customers, which have been tailored to meet their specific needs.

With time of the essence in the rapidly changing global market, the AKW Group offers a dedicated contract packing service, which is ideal for clients with remedial or promotional production requirements.

The contract packing arm operates out of World Freight Centre and has three BRC accredited packing halls, a clean room and extensive bulk and high bay racking.

It is these services combined that are helping the AKW Group to thrive during difficult economic times.

“We have worked hard to be where we are today, but the industry continues to face a lot of challenges,” said Julian.

“I believe there are many companies that will need a hand if they are going to survive this year and going forward.”

AK Worthington drives forward its Palletforce operations

AK Worthington Limited has invested more than £90,000 in its pallet distribution operations as the company looks to win more business.

The major investment has seen the firm, based at Trafford Park, in Manchester – part of the award-winning Palletforce network – help the AKW Group achieve an annual turnover of £18.5 million and appoint a new salesman to its specialist Palletforce team of five at A.K Worthington Ltd.

Andy Lee, 42, brings with him more than sixteen years' experience in sales and customer service roles within the transport sector.

He said: "The new sales role is an exciting new challenge and I hope that my knowledge of the industry will be an asset to AK Worthington and help to drive new business through the Palletforce network."

The company has also purchased a new double deck Lawrence David trailer and is refurbishing a 7½-ton vehicle which will both be liveried in Palletforce colours and take the operational size to 53 vehicles and 76 curtain-sided trailers.

The new trailer has the capacity to carry 50 standard pallets and also has a moveable butterfly floor to accommodate tall pallets.

Peter Seymour, sales manager for AK Worthington, said: "Whilst the transport industry as a whole has suffered from the economic downturn we have continued to grow and the investment in our Palletforce operations is just part of a wider investment to continue moving the business forward."

AK Worthington has also invested more than £10,000 in marketing materials such as brochures and fliers to help promote Palletforce.

"Our investment in Palletforce comes as a result of the strong partnership forged with the network and its members since we joined the network in 2006," said Peter.

"We chose to work with Palletforce because the network is owned by members made up of the best regional transport companies across the county that all work together to deliver the highest standards of service to the customer."