PWC/GeoLogistics UK & Ireland Operations Update
Heathrow, United Kingdom
May 1, 2006
By
Evan Armstrong
Key Personnel:
Chris Price, CEO UK & Ireland
Henri McKenzie, Regional Manager – London
GeoLogistics UK & Ireland Locations
UK and Ireland Overview
With roots going back to 1851, GeoLogistics, Ltd. UK and Ireland operations have grown to over 650 employees and annual revenues in excess of $242 million. Its UK and Ireland logistics operations manage over 274,000 shipments a year via a network of 33 locations with 44,000 square meters (473,616 square feet) of warehousing and freight forwarding crossdock space.
Key logistics services being provided include: air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, domestic and pan European transportation management, value-added warehousing and distribution, exhibition services and project cargo management. GeoLogistics Ltd. operates a Quality Management System certified to ISO9002. Its certificate applies to all UK locations and covers international freight forwarding, transportation and value-added warehousing and distribution services.
GeoLogistics UK and Ireland operations are targeting customers in High-Tech and Retailing industry verticals for future supply chain management services growth. Additionally, it is working to expand freight forwarding business between the UK and Ireland and: South Africa, North America, Hong Kong/China, India, Germany, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. In 2004, GeoLogistics was a top six International Air Transport Association (IATA) freight forwarder in the UK.
Airfreight Forwarding Operations
Major GeoLogistics UK and Ireland customers include: Debenhams, Epson, General Electric, IBM, IKEA, LiteOn Masterfoods, and Panasonic.
In 2005, Kuwaiti based PWC Logistics acquired Santa Ana, CA based GeoLogistics Corporation adding extensive international transportation management capabilities to PWC’s previously middle-eastern centric operations. The combined company is the 15th largest global third-party logistics provider.
Separate Warehouse Area
Heathrow Freight Forwarding and Value-Added Warehousing Operations
GeoLogistics employees 97 employees at its Heathrow operation. Primary services include: freight forwarding, customs brokerage, transportation management, and value-added warehousing and distribution.
Refurbishment Station
Within its approximately 50,000 square foot distribution center, GeoLogistics has a cordoned off area for storage and refurbishment operations, a separate room for its garment-on-hanger (GOH) operation and a crossdock for freight forwarding and domestic transportation management operations.
GeoLogistics maintains two stations for level one refurbishment services for imported LITEON products.
GOH Operation
GeoLogistics has a global logistics contract with a major cruise line. Services performed under the contract include freight forwarding and distribution of the cruise line’s equipment and supplies worldwide. The contract also encompasses its casino, medical, hotel, furnishing and boutique divisions. Ropes, oil, and other supplies were being stored in Heathrow for distribution.
The garment-on-hanger operation serves major UK retailer Debenhams. GeoLogistics provides import services, stores the garments and distributes provides direct store delivery to Debenhams stores. GeoLogistics is utilized to import approximately 2.2 million kilos (4.84 million pounds) of product every year.
Over the past ten years we have seen an ongoing globalization of logistics and increased outsourcing amongst multinational corporations. GeoLogistics and its new parent PWC Logistics have combined global freight forwarding and value-added warehousing capabilities. This service offering makes it well positioned to become a major facilitator of global trade.
(Note: to read our latest PWC Logistics site visit write up please go to the following website address: https://www.3plogistics.com/PWC_Logistics.htm.)