Following launch of dedicated drinks logistics solution Geodis Calberson becomes a member of the Bonded Warehousekeepers Association.
Geodis Calberson, the UK road transport and logistics division of global logistics solutions provider Geodis, has become a member of the key UK drinks industry body the Bonded Warehousekeepers Association (BWA).
The company, which recently launched Geodis Wine Logistics, providing end-to-end supply chain solutions for all parties involved in the beers, wines and spirits trade, was accepted into the BWA at a recent meeting of the organisation's committee.
Elaine Macdonald, Chairman of the BWA, a vital industry body for the alcoholic beverages sector, said: "The BWA welcomes global companies such as Geodis Calberson, which runs many bonded warehouses.
"With their focus on working within the drinks trade in the UK through Geodis Wine Logistics, we believe that they will become an active and valued member of the association."
The BWA exists to support its members, who are involved in bonded warehousing, with updates, training courses, and access to help and information on alcoholic drinks-related areas such as revenue and customs, health and safety and legal compliance. It also helps to promote and encourage best practice, and represents its membership at industry level in negotiations with HM Revenue and Customs. Members include major drinks companies and their service suppliers.
Gary Hubbard, Director of UK Logistics at Geodis Calberson, said: "It is great to become a member of the BWA, as the organisation plays a vital role in the drinks industry, representing the interests of all those involved in bonded warehousing at the highest levels. This includes the major drinks manufacturers and many of the companies, such as Geodis Calberson, that supply services to the sector.
"With Geodis Wine Logistics, we aim to be at the forefront of providing supply chain solutions to the drinks sector. Membership of the BWA is recognition of our position as a major player in the industry."
The recently launched Geodis Wine Logistics division draws upon the Geodis Group's many decades' experience providing supply chain solutions to the beers, wines and spirits industry in Europe to meet the logistics needs of everyone in the sector, from growers to retailers. Geodis is the number one provider of logistics to the beers, wines and spirits industry in France, where the company has long-standing relationships with major drinks businesses including Pernod Ricard, Moet & Chandon, Mumm, Laurent Perrier, Tattinger, Verve Cliquot and Bacardi.
The new end-to-end service harnesses this pedigree and the Geodis Group's global reach - it has 26,000 employees in 120 countries, including in all the major old and new-world wine producing nations - to provide innovative services to the beers, wines and spirits sector in the UK.
Geodis Wine Logistics already provides supply chain solutions to beers, wines and spirits businesses in the UK, including Oddbins, Adnams and Direct Wines, and is aiming to extend the service it offers to existing clients, as well as attract new customers.
Geodis Wine Logistics takes a solution-based approach and tailors the services it provides to suit the unique requirements of each customer. Services provided include vendor management, documentation, full and part load transport, consolidation, groupage, origin logistics, Customs House brokerage, port to DC transport, Wet Bond shared user warehousing, value added services, re-export European distribution, UK palletised distribution, and deliveries to the hotel, restaurant and catering sector in central London.
In addition, Geodis Wine Logistics is leading the way in reducing carbon emissions. The company's use of new technology, shared user warehousing, innovative bulk shipping methods and environmentally friendly sites - such as the UK's greenest logistics site at Magna Park in Leicestershire - are at the cutting edge of the industry's drive to cut emissions.
Geodis Calberson has 11 sites, 340 employees and 65 independent licensees in the Fortec Pallet Network in the UK, enabling it to provide transport and logistics solutions to a wide variety of businesses in the major vertical business sectors across the country.