30 >> 29 predominantly which will


cater for the luxury end of the market. This increase in frequency will markedly improve service levels for consumers as well as minimising the impact of delays that inevitably will occur at the borders.” Logistics, generally, is simple,


says Croome, but Brexit has added a level of complexity to the equation. However: “We


Issue 1 2021 - Freight Business Journal


understand logistics and have prepared for Brexit more so, we feel, than most companies. We commissioned a Brexit committee to enable the Xpediator group of companies to provide a holistic solution to our clients and partners. With our offices at every major UK port working hand in hand with our partners and global offices, we are ready and prepared regardless of the outcome. We feel that the new practices we’ve


implemented should enable us to


provide enhanced service


levels to our clients. We’ve had to be innovative in some of our solutions whilst implementing some of the successful systems from the pre-Euro years.” The fashion industry has been


working with customs procedures since manufacturing moved from UK into Eastern Europe and then into Asia, so this industry is better placed than most to be able to


///CLOTHING AND APPAREL


deal with the complexities that Brexit will bring. A large portion of Xpediator’s business is outside the EU, so: “Brexit will mean that we simply treat the EU in the same way as the rest of our global trading partners. In a way, we’re prepared because we’re already experienced.” The other major factor in the


fashion market this year is, of course, the Covid crisis. Xpediator has


consistently picked up


new customers throughout all lockdown periods, ranging from UK footwear producers to dress designers manufacturing in Asia. It recently started working with a contemporary fashion brand creating tailored pieces for men and women and brought on board a Brazilian footwear brand in December where it will be storing and preparing orders for outbound distribution to UK customers post-Brexit. Croome says: “We have


Multimodal 2021 celebrates 14 years of placing shippers, retailers, wholesalers, importers and exporters in front of exhibitors who offer the latest logistics and supply chain solutions


New attractions for 2021:


• Match-making service to connect exhibitors with shippers


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some exciting luxury brands due to come on board in the first quarter of 2021. We’ve just partnered with a popular local brand manufacturing sustainable swimwear in London. They have a large social media customer base and we see this as an important direction for the fashion Industry and retail in general to be heading.” The marketplace for apparel


logistics is changing, says Croome. “In the UK at least, many of the high street fashion retailers are struggling or have even gone out of business. On the other hand, online sales appear to be soaring away. Croome adds that, in addition,


‘dark’ stores are popping up in strategic locations in response to the closing down of high street brands or as an attempt to combat the effects of lockdown. Utilising their IT systems, they can contact local consumers and deliver locally from central stores using them as micro fulfilment sites. He continues: “The change in


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Fashion Logistics is dramatic. We’ve had to rotate our focus away from the more established distribution centre line haul services towards e-commerce fulfilment as well as implementing the supply chain services that go hand in hand with smaller more frequent deliveries, such as parcel deliveries. We are a flexible business and e-commerce has always been one of our primary targets; we brought that forward in the summer with a more focused view on working with sustainable and local brands as well as laying the groundwork for our customers’ needs post-Brexit.” Aligning services with the


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MM21 A4 exhibitor & connect ad.indd 1 26/11/2020 04:16


requirements of the luxury end of the industry and combining its experience in fashion means the company is progressing well with its 2021 goals. Croome says that as a group,


Xpediator provides multifaceted services, “ensuring that we deliver a one-stop fashion logistics service from manufacturer through to final mile retail delivery with a sole point of contact. We had an


established fleet of specialised hanging garment vehicles. However, with the changes we’ve experienced in the industry this year, we’ve pivoted away from this model and invested in smaller, more economical vehicles.” The plan is to implement an


all-electric fleet for local London deliveries by 2022, adds Croome: “Final mile deliveries are not new for us and our experienced drivers are able to handle the complexities of additional consolidated deliveries and the nuances of social distancing etiquette in their stride. We’ve seen huge increases in return logistics and next year we’ll be launching our ‘re-commerce’ suite to enable customers to handle the returns in a structured way through our portal and with self- billing processes. “Returns have been the most


challenging part of the changes seen this year. Generally, the retailer absorbs this cost and with the increase in lockdowns, online shopping and the influence of social media, the level of returns and ultimately inventory control doesn’t seem likely to change.” Croome says that IT systems


are an essential tool in helping brands to meet the expectations of shoppers today. A second but key element are the efforts to reduce waste and improve efficiency in the supply chain. IT support allows for greater transparency from sourcing and manufacturing through to logistics and on to the analysis of consumer behaviour. He


explains: “The ability


for the consumer to track and trace an order or produce an e-proof of delivery (e-pod) for a client is a standard requirement today. If you’re not providing these services, then you will fall behind. Pre-orders are a great way for clients to gauge consumer demand as well as maintain low inventories which in turn help to maintain cash reserves. Utilising this data will also help with overstock and assist buyers with styles or problematic areas of the brand’s range. We have created an in-house system for our clients where they can track orders, start a dialogue with a team member, control stock inventories within the warehouse or request orders for call-off. These systems help to improve the communication between us and our clients and enable full access to stock virtually to enable clients to work on orders in their own time, which in the current environment has become increasingly important.”


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