_____________________________________________________________________ Delamode
International Logistics
When the Transport & Logistics International team arrives at Southampton Docks in a Ford C-MAX , the security guard points out that our ‘ lorry is very small .’ There are chuckles all round as we weave among the cranes , containers and hauliers , following directions towards Delamode International Logistics ’ 436,000 square-foot quayside warehousing facility . The docks are expansive , and it is remarkable to imagine that many of the goods moving to and from the UK and continental Europe are shipped through this 65,000 pallet facility .
The European and UK logistics sector has had to contend with significant disruptions over the last eight years . First , there was Brexit . Then , 2020 brought the Covid-19 pandemic , which changed consumer behavior and impacted supply chains across the globe . Once we tried to return to business as usual , the war in Ukraine sent energy costs soaring , and now unrest in the Red Sea is also affecting international shipping routes . It seems never ending .
However , Delamode International Logistics ( Delamode ) has ploughed on to overcome these challenges , working hard to maintain reliable services for its clients . The specialist in shipping , handling , warehousing , order processing and distributing fast-moving consumer goods ( FMCG ) supply chain services has been refining its operations for the last 40 years to keep its conveyor belts moving . “ I ’ ve been in the warehousing industry for several decades ,” begins Mike Thomas , the company ’ s Client Services Director , “ and I don ’ t think I ’ ve ever lived through such a turbulent period in supply chain logistics .
“ Back in 2016 , when the Brexit vote took place , my immediate reaction was : how are we going to protect our clients ’ international supply chains ? We had a great trade position with Europe . We also enjoyed a pricing advantage with the imbalance of trade providing cost-effective distribution from the UK to continental markets . All of that was about to unravel for us as Brexit added cost challenges and restrictions to the free flow of international trade with our nearest market neighbors .
“ More recently , we ’ ve experienced a rollercoaster ride in warehousing storage availability , which manifested initially in a capacity shortage . This was then followed by
I don ’ t think I ’ ve ever lived through such a turbulent period in supply chain logistics a surplus of storage space when demand for PPE and product overstocks increased dramatically . Now , having made it through those hurdles , we have a crisis in the Middle East where missile attacks in the Red Sea are impacting the movement of deep-sea shipping , which is our lifeblood ,” he shares .
As Client Services Director ,
Mike brings to the business years of experience in logistics , having worked with some big industry names - P & O and Inchcape to name a couple . Following those career progressions , he became a shareholder and Director of Import Services in 2005 , before selling to Delamode in 2018 . He then transferred as a director of the company ’ s logistics business . In our discussion , Mike is keen to outline the ways in which the company has navigated supply chain challenges , with client service always at the helm .
Joanne Gumery also joins our conversation . Joanne , who only recently joined Delamode
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