SEKO Logistics is investing in a new flagship airfreight and omni-parcel services facility close to London Heathrow airport as the logistics group’s UK revenues are set to top £100m for the first time.
With an eye on Brexit, when the UK leaves the European Union, US-based SEKO said that Heathrow will become “an even more vital gateway for a plethora of new cross-border trading opportunities” for both British and international businesses.
Heathrow’s expansion plans for a third runway were approved last month in Parliament while the UK aims to double its post-Brexit export business to £1trn by 2020.
Moving into the new 22,000 sq ft purpose-built location in Egham this month is part of a £5m-plus commitment to support SEKO customers’ fast-growing international shipment volumes, which includes the rapid expansion of pureplay e-tailer business from the UK to Australia, New Zealand and the US.
Keith O’Brien, SEKO’s chief operating officer – EMEA, said that the company’s UK business is growing organically and that the biggest growth area in the past 2-3 years has been British companies accessing the lucrative cross-border e-commerce sector.
“Our decision to invest in this new facility close to Heathrow will make the cross-border delivery process even easier for our customers.”
SEKO opened its first UK location in 2003 and now operates eight facilities, including a 225,000 sq ft logistics centre in Milton Keynes.
Addressing ‘The Delivery Conference’ in London recently, Justin Irvine, commercial director of SEKO Omni-Channel Logistics, said that consumers are willing to pay to receive a better service once they have confidence in a company’s ability to deliver.
He said: “This is driving growth of e-commerce express or premium shipping options and expectations. It’s now possible, for example, for UK e-tailers to deliver to Asia and Australasia – collectively the largest e-commerce growth market in the world – in 2-3 days for under £10.00. Companies that deploy these increased service levels can expect to see their businesses grow 1.6 times faster.”
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