I’m emailing from Bridge PR, we work with logistics expert Bespoke Distribution Aviation (BDA) and I’m getting in touch to let you know of a private meeting that occurred between the company and Coventry South MP Jim Cunningham last Wednesday.
BDA is based in Coventry Airport and voiced concerns to the MP because of the extensive long-running roadworks that are causing disruption to businesses in the area. Workers have complained that the traffic works, which aren’t expected to be completed until 2016, are extending their journey to and from work by up to two hours each day. BDA operates mostly during the night, which is when the roadworks are at their most disruptive, and is having to implement special measures to ensure their customers aren’t impacted. This includes having to send numerous vans out on the road for deliveries in order to get the first vehicle onto the road earlier than normal. Although BDA’s customers are still receiving their goods on time, this is coming at a cost, and is ultimately stopping the company from hiring more staff.
I’ve attached an image for you, as well as the release, it’d be great if you could feature this somewhere for us.
Many thanks,
Andrew
Release date: May 2014
Logistics expert
defies disruptive roadworks to deliver on time
A specialist
time critical logistics provider in the UK is overcoming nightly battles
against ongoing roadworks to record successful on-time delivery of goods from
Europe into the UK.
Bespoke
Distribution Aviation (BDA) which is based near to Coventry Airport is still
managing to fulfil its orders and keep customers satisfied, despite ongoing
disruption to its vital road network.
The
roadworks, which are coming at a cost of £105m and won’t be completed until
2016, have caused major headaches to businesses and motorists alike, with some
workers in the area complaining that they are extending their journey to and
from work by up to two hours each day. BDA relies on its road network to meet
critical delivery of spare parts and vital components for the automotive, media
and agricultural sectors but is having to battle against the ongoing roadworks
in order to deliver on time. The company recently arranged a private meeting
with local MP Jim Cunningham to discuss the issue, during which it called for
greater communication from the Highways Agency in order to minimise the risk of
a knock-on effect to the global supply chain caused by late delivery of goods.
Although the
company has implemented processes to help it overcome the disruption and is still
successfully meeting delivery times, it stressed to Mr Cunningham the
importance of the local road network to the freight companies in the area. Many
of these operate during the night which is when disruption is at its peak.
BDA has
eight gateway hubs for both air and road linehaul routes across Europe,
including Germany, France, and Ireland. The firm flies freight into Coventry
overnight in order to meet next-day delivery times. If this freight is then
held up on the road network, it has a knock on effect on the wider supply
chain. BDA is currently having to send numerous vans out on the road for
deliveries in order to get the first vehicle onto the road earlier than normal.
European
Managing Director Kevin Turner explained: “Many
of the roadworks are taking place at night because there is an assumption that
few people are using the road network at this time. We rely on the road network
at night in order to deliver goods on time.
“We are still meeting our customers’ demands, we’re
not losing any business and we’re still growing, but the night time temporary road closures -
when we’re at our busiest - and constant diversions are costing us a lot of
money, and this means we can’t employ more people. Some of the boxes we deliver
contain time critical medical equipment and supplies that hospitals up and down
the country rely on in order to treat their patients. If these aren’t delivered
on time then this has a direct impact on people who are in desperate need of
urgent medical care.
“The situation changes each day, and the major issue
is a lack of communication between businesses and the Highways Agency and their
contractors.”
Mr
Cunningham felt that it wasn’t fair that businesses were being impacted in such
a serious manner and stressed that the Highways Agency must do more to
communicate with BDA and other businesses in the area.
He said: “Everybody understands that the roadworks
have got to be completed, but we think there can be improvements in relation to
flow of traffic - particularly at night time, when this company is doing
business.
“With a bit of give and take we can mitigate some of
the problems and it’s important that the Highways Agency have discussions with
BDA and other companies in the area. We’re going to meet with them and put some
of these points to them.”
- Ends -
About BDA (Bespoke Distribution Aviation)
BDA is domiciled in Ireland and Germany and is a specialist logistics
service provider specialising in daily Air-bridge and Road Line-haul with
express final mile solutions for delivery In-Night, early morning, same day and
next day, with hubs and depot locations in the UK, Germany, France, Ireland and
the Netherlands.
BDA provides logistics supply chain solutions, for the B2B and B2C
E-Retail markets, through time definite daily air and road line-haul routes
connecting into In-Night delivery networks for early morning distribution
throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland for the time-critical spare parts and
e-Retail commercial markets.
The express air-freight and hi-speed-delivery Company was formed in 2007
and serves mainland Europe through its key locations in Maastricht, Frankfurt,
Coventry and Dublin. BDA provides its airfreight through its own dedicated ATP
aircraft and a shared user facility freight flight. BDA uses its own vehicle
fleet for the collection of the time-critical shipments and the supply chain is
completed throughout the local delivery countries through local domestic specialist
In-night and overnight-partner networks.
Complete
visibility of the end-to-end chain of shipments is provided, through a
real-time tracking system, and the whole delivery process is supported by its
multi-lingual Client Support team, based in its centralised (available 24/7)
call centre.
For further information, please contact:-
Editorial - Alison Brindley, Operations Director on 07850 913 947 / 024 76 303010, Alison.brindley@bdaviation.com or John Edden, Bridge PR & Media Services
on 024 76 520025, or e-mail denise@bridgepr.co.uk