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Metro Shipping has partnered with Emirates Airlines at Birmingham


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country consolidation. For instance, freight from the Indian subcontinent (including locations such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan) comes into Dubai, where it is broken down and repalletised into intact units for onward transport. “We turn this around in two days from the


origin airport to the UK and deliver it direct to Birmingham external temporary storage facilities,” Liddell was proud to confirm. Aside from the reduction in transit times and


the contribution to Birmingham Airport’s development as an air freight hub, other benefits of Metro’s work with the airport include cost savings and a reduction in CO2


emissions. One example of the latter is a B777F charter Orchestrating growth


Metro Shipping’s collaboration with Birmingham Airport is a shining example of the benefits of airfreight, hence its successful bid for last year’s BIFA Air Cargo Services Award. Metro business development director Grant Liddell tells us more


Birmingham is a growing international airport. Located in the centre of the UK, it is a natural gateway into and out of the country, pointed out Grant Liddell, Metro business development director. Therefore: “It made sense, with us being based in Solihull right in the middle of the country, to develop the air freight product through a natural central gateway to the UK. “We also work with some of the UK’s largest


automotives original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and retailers here. That means big volumes inbound and outbound, so the business lends itself to a Midlands hub.”


Partnership Metro Shipping has also partnered with Emirates Airline, which operates two flights a day out of Birmingham, and many more from other UK airports. In fact: “Last year we influenced some Emirates


all-freighter flights,” Liddell said. “The airline moved some European services to Birmingham, carrying ad hoc shipments as maindeck cargo to the US and Middle East destinations.” Through Metro’s work with carriers flying in


and out of Birmingham, as well as with the airport itself, air cargo has trebled through the region in recent years. The main beneficiaries are the forwarder’s local clients on both the import


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flight operated by Emirates SkyCargo and coordinated by Metro. The flight carried vehicles manufactured in the Midlands direct from Birmingham to Chicago for testing, rather than sending them via another hub that would require long-distance trucking.


Choices So why are not more companies following Metro’s model? Liddell believes that most forwarders are “obsessed” with major gateways like Heathrow, concentrating their activities and resources there instead of considering other possibilities. Heathrow’s position as the main gateway to


the UK has been the natural choice in the past – but Birmingham is a fair-sized hub in its own right now, with airlines such as Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish offering widebody medium and long-haul flights there. While some countries have separate,


dedicated cargo airports, it cannot be denied that revenues from cargo figures much lower down than passenger-related income for most airports. There are, of course, examples of gateways that run both passenger and cargo businesses successfully, such as Maastricht, Hahn or Memphis. At Heathrow, however, “it is like trying to get a


gallon into a pint glass,” Liddell summed up. “Air freight needs investment and backing – which is what we have taken advantage of at Birmingham.” In addition: “The stakeholders in the


Grant Liddell, business development director at Metro Shipping


and export side of the fence. For instance, a new facility set up for one of its retail importers has taken 14 days out of its airfreight supply chain. Metro has moved on from its original BIFA


award submission, Liddell said. For Emirates, and other partner carriers, it now provides multi-


collaborative approach are all links in the supply chain, and at Metro we orchestrate that.” Metro’s collaboration with Birmingham Airport


was a big factor in Metro’s win, but was not the only reason for it, Liddell said. The company is one of the largest independent British private logistics firms in the UK. Its agility enables it to react to market conditions and to customer expectations and demands, while its independence allows it to innovate.


October 2018


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