NEWS\\\


Freight forwarder Davies Turner says it is seeing an upsurge in enquiries about the availability of warehousing space, driven by customer concerns about the outcome of the Brexit negotiations and the future of UK trade with the EU aſt er March next year.


Normally, warehousing demand oſt en reduces


in the


early months of the New Year as retailers run down stocks aſt er Christmas but the forwarder says it has seen increased enquiries from companies looking to take space in the early weeks of 2019. It adds that 2018 has already


FTA Ireland welcomes Brexit agreement


FTA Ireland (FTAI) “reacted positively” to the draſt withdrawal agreement presented by Teresa May to the UK Parliament on 15 November, saying


draſt agreement would allow for sustained fl ows of traffi c to and from Ireland into the EU and the UK.”


that it


would assist the transition to a frictionless trading environment, while boosting confi dence and certainty. General manager Aidan Flynn


said: “Ireland would be the most negatively aff ected country in Europe in the event of a No Deal, both from a domestic and international trading point of view. Ensuring a transition arrangement is vitally important in re- establishing trading relationships and protocols, and while there may be many challenges for our sector in the coming months, the


Connectivity via the Welsh


ports is also crucial for both Irish and UK businesses, he added: “The withdrawal agreement if ratifi ed will allow time to develop the infrastructure that is badly needed to facilitate drivers’ welfare and customs and regulatory checks at ports where and when necessary.” FTA Ireland is urging UK


politicians to think long and hard about the consequences of their vote in the House of Commons. Flynn said: “No one voted for economic uncertainty, a broken economy or for a destroyed relationship with the EU.”


Irish back door ‘could be quickest exit from Brexit Britain’


Head of consumer research for international courier comparison site ParcelHero, David Jinks told a conference that Ireland may well be the easiest route for couriers and hauliers into the EU following Brexit. He suggested to delegates at the


CML (Core Management Logistics) Brexit Forum that, due to political pressure, the Irish border question would be solved, even though it was presenting a serious problem in the current negotiations. Ireland could then off er the only friction- free border into the EU for UK businesses following a hard Brexit, he argued. “Ireland could become the best


gateway into Europe as traditional routes such as Dover-Calais become choked with customs checks and red tape. Following


a no-deal Brexit the M20 could become a lorry park,” said Jinks. He told the conference that the


Republic of Ireland’s couriers and logistics companies are already developing new ways to the EU avoiding traditional routes via the UK. He added: “This extra capacity could be utilised by UK companies whose goods have already been cleared, friction-free, at the Irish border. Amongst the new services being introduced, CLdN has launched two mega vessels on new direct routes between Dublin and Zeebrugge, Belgium, and Rotterdam; Irish Continental Group has increased weekly freight capacity between Dublin and Cherbourg, and Brittany ferries has launched a new service between Cork and Santander, Spain.”


Issue 8 2018 - Freight Business Journal


Warehouse demand surges on Brexit fears


been a busy year with limited spare capacity and this is likely to continue into 2019. Davies Turner chairman, Philip


Stephenson says that the uptick in enquiries, many of which are originating from the company’s partners in Europe, seems to be the result of companies deciding to stockpile more goods than usual in preparation for any supply chain disruption that may occur around the still to be negotiated transition period


13


following the UK’s departure from the EU next year. He says: “We suspect that


the ongoing uncertainty over Brexit


will only lead to more


demand for short term storage in the event of no deal or an unsatisfactory outcome with no mutual recognition or trading agreements in place. Depending on the fi nal details of Britain’s trade deal with the rest of Europe, this may turn into a longer term requirement.”


18 - 20 JUNE 2019 NEC BIRMINGHAM TOMORROW’S WORLD Our industry is changing, becoming increasingly digital with AI, AR, Robotics and


Blockchain just some of the never ending technological innovations. Whilst this won’t ever remove people doing business with people - it is clear that we are on the cusp of major technological transformation! Multimodal is embracing these changes, refreshing our brand, and our reach to ensure we deliver a topical event for a progressive industry.


Find out more at WWW.MULTIMODAL.ORG.UK MM19 new A4 ad design.indd 1 02/08/2018 17:03


Positioning for the future


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28