Spotlight on Harbour...

What is the background of the business?

Harbour International Freight originated as a family-owned business based in Dublin. In 1988, we opened our first UK depot in Trafford Park, Manchester. Interestingly, it was the same year that Alex Ferguson started “turning the ship around” for Manchester United. To this day, we couldn’t be more delighted with this choice of location. We merged with another Irish distribution company in 2012.

How has the business changed since its founding?

We have transitioned from a solely UK and Ireland family-owned freight forwarder to now being a leading Irish Sea groupage operator, UK pallet distribution and 3PL logistics provider; operating as part of a large Irish transport and logistics group. We have over 30 depots across Ireland and the UK. We’re also proud to be an ISO9001: 2015 and BRCGS AA-accredited business.

What is your company ethos?

We have been unswerving in our ethos for over 50 years. To reliably and consistently deliver a service that meets and exceeds the requirements and expectations of our customers. This is made possible through our network of strategically placed locations, tremendously skilled team, and our fleet of over 350 vehicles available to us. 

What sets you apart from the competition?

We keep our customers at the heart of every decision we make. We have customers of over 35 years standing, and work in partnership with them to establish a true synergy. We have the personal touch and go the extra mile to be of service and by being a one-stop shop for both UK and Ireland and EU pallet distribution. Our systems remove the headache for our customers in managing multiple carriers.

What are the biggest challenges you face in the sector at the moment?

Customers have come to expect service-and-information technology similar to those experienced when using services such as taxis, parcel and food delivery apps, with real time tracking and updates. Customers now expect similar visibility for pallets, containers, air freight, and customs movements. A freight company that cannot provide the same level of tracking and 24/7 responsiveness can appear outdated, even if operationally competent. MyNexus (UK network) & MyHarbour (Irish Sea deliveries) platforms meets these demands. Additionally, fuel costs and driver availability can be a concern. Despite the challenges we are optimistic that the UK economy will see significant growth in the coming years and our business will be part of this growth.

What do you like most about logistics?

Every day is unique, every day is a school day, despite our over 50 years of experience. We enjoy looking for opportunities to adapt to our current and ever-evolving business climate. These challenges are geopolitical instability on shipping routes, fluctuating fuel and freight costs, uncertainty around tariffs and customs. All while customers' expectations change; as they seek real-time tracking visibility and the fastest service possible.

We view our work as a great big logistic jigsaw puzzle; when it all falls into place you can take satisfaction in knowing a good job has been done.

What are the main factors that have contributed to the success of the business?

We give clients the peace of mind that we have their best interests at heart and will always strive to listen and improve. By having in-depth discussions with customers about their needs and plans and bringing the experience and resources available to us to meet these. Our reach and technology, both in-house and network has played a big part in our success.

What does the future hold for the business?

We are ISO9001 and BRCGS AA accredited, which is increasingly important to procurement specialists.  We want to further build our European network and our eCommerce offering to our customers. In anticipation of eCommerce growth, we are currently installing new technologies to handle platforms like Shopify and Amazon, seamlessly handling orders from Picking through to Delivery. In an ever-changing environment we continue to look for opportunities, be it growth through new sales or acquisitions.

How many vehicles are in your fleet?

18-owned in Manchester with over 350 in our own network.

How many people does the business employ?

We employ 42 people.

What delivery areas do you cover?

For Pall-Ex we deliver most of the of M and SK postcodes, but cover the whole of the UK for Irish Sea movements and internally on the isle of Ireland with our own overnight network.

How has being part of Pall-Ex help develop the business over the last 10 years?

By being part of Pall-Ex’s dynamic network, we are part of a best-in-class UK and European network. Since joining Harbour International Freight has grown dramatically, exceeding 12% per annum. But the softer benefits are equally important. It has brought us into a community whose depth of knowledge is of daily benefit to the business. We hope that they also benefit from our expertise, particularly around cross-border traffic.

How has access to the range of services the Pall-Ex network has supported you in winning new customers and growing your offering

Pall-Ex’s fantastic marketing and analytics teams have provided invaluable insights into how we can gain and retain business. This, alongside the well-known benefits of Nexus is a total game changer for our clients. Consistently, this ranks high with our clients that use Nexus and all the benefits that it provides them and us as a depot. Pall-Ex invests in finding solutions to challenges in our sector. Harbour’s Pall-Ex membership has given us access to their pallet-tracking technology; the MyNexus system. MyNexus allows us to track our consignments from source to completed delivery, given our customer unrivalled levels of confidence. 

To learn more about us, please visit www.harbourfreight.co.uk

For dependable freight distribution across the North West, the UK, Ireland, and Europe, contact us today.