Brunel European has strengthened its foothold in the Amazon food and drink logistics sector with a recent milestone: a major contract with a prominent Spanish food retailer for door-to-door temperature-controlled transport. This new partnership involved full-load shipments from Spain directly to Brunel European’s Amazon fulfillment hub in the UK.

The goods were meticulously unpacked, palletized, sorted, and labeled to meet Amazon’s specifications before being processed through Brunel’s Amazon booking portal. The end-to-end service, including customs handling in both Spain and the UK, enabled seamless delivery to Amazon in just six days.

Take a look at our services when it comes to arrangingShipping, Customs Clearance and Delivery of Perishable Goods – here

https://bfff.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Perishable-Flyer.pdf

For more information about Brunel European’s Amazon fulfillment services, contact mike@brunelshipping.co.uk.

XPO, a leading provider of innovative and sustainable end-to-end logistics solutions across Europe, held its first Apprenticeship Awards on October 24, with Jack Jarvis taking the Providers Choice Award.

 

The Providers Choice Award resulted from a nomination by providers and HR Business Partners. They chose the winner and presented it at a ceremony at the Staverton Park Hotel in Daventry.

 

Other recognitions included:

 

• Shining Star—given to James Yarrow, who has embraced the apprenticeship most effectively and taken the next step in his career progression. Line managers nominated the candidate, and the HR Business Partners decided the winner again.
• Early Bird Award – presented to Amy Roberts, who finished her apprenticeship in record time.
• Outstanding Result – given to Loredana Ionita, who has worked hard to achieve extraordinary results in written assignments.

 

The Apprentice Awards capped off a unique series of events that took place from the morning into the early afternoon. These included two guest speakers, a quiz and picture challenge, and messages of appreciation from XPO to the apprentices gathered on the day.

 

Lynn Brown, vice president – human resources – UK and Ireland, XPO Logistics, said: “We want to congratulate all our 51 apprentices, especially our award winners who have already made outstanding contributions to the business. These individuals have gone above and beyond in their work and commitment to XPO, and each of them has been highly successful in their relevant fields. We look forward to working with them in the time ahead and watching their careers progress.”

 

The apprentices have taken roles across XPO, with six in finance—two of whom are level 7 CIMAs—five in HR, with one extra apprentice waiting to enrol, three Traffic Office apprentices, and three HGV technicians—the latter two filling entry-level apprentice roles. After completing their apprenticeships, a high percentage of incumbents have gone on to be promoted or enrolled on another apprenticeship, taking their development and career opportunities to the next level, thanks to this investment.

 

There are also 30 apprentices working towards Leadership and Management qualifications, with an additional six waiting to enrol. One apprentice is in Safety, Health, and Environment, one is working towards a Chartered Management degree, and one is working towards a Digital and Technology degree. Two apprentices are also working towards a Supply Chain Management degree.

 

The split between male and female apprentices is almost 50/50, with 25 women and 26 men in current XPO apprenticeships.

 

XPO Logistics is a leading innovative supply chain company in Europe, offering end-to-end logistics solutions that combine full-truckload, less-than-truckload, pallet distribution, last-mile delivery, global freight forwarding, and warehousing services. The company tailors its solutions to the specific needs of its customers in a wide range of industrial and consumer sectors.

 

As Acorn Trade Partners (ATP) and Oakland International celebrate their successful year-long collaboration with Grubby, a UK-based producer of plant-based recipe kits, focus has now turned to developing and expanding product and service offer to better serve Grubby’s customer base.

ATP Director Peter Turone stated: “ATP’s collaboration with Oakland International has been a real success delivering a wide variety of the premium fresh produce needed for Grubby’s food boxes, and is the result of teamwork, dedication, and a shared passion and vision to deliver excellence.”

During a recent visit to Valefresco Ltd., a major produce partner to ATP, the day was spent amongst crops where the aroma of fresh basil filled the air and served as a reminder of the importance of sustainable farming. Valefresco is a major supplier of green salads and vegetables such as pak choi, spinach, salad leaves, and herbs including fresh basil grown in water-efficient vertical farms. Grubby’s team was able to see firsthand the desire, commitment and enthusiasm driving British farming, witnessing the complete fresh produce process from farm to table.

Added Peter: “Farming, often passed down through the generations, comes with its own set of unique challenges, from Brexit to COVID-19, to increasingly unpredictable weather, yet despite these hurdles our growers remain resilient, producing exceptional crops that help us deliver quality time and time again for our customers. Here’s to many more years of ATP and Oakland International collaboration delivering incredible fresh produce to Grubby’s customers!”

Grubby’s team expressed how the farm visit had deepened their admiration for the effort behind each recipe box, appreciating the dedication of farmers, ATP, Oakland International, and the entire supply chain.

Martin Holden-White Founder and CEO of Grubby said: “A huge thanks to Oakland International whose relentless effort in refining packing operations has allowed us to deliver well over 100,000 boxes and approximately 500,000 meals. Their consistent ‘can-do’ attitude has allowed us to expand recipe choices and add additional delivery days. It’s great to work with a team that thrives on challenges and continues to raise the bar.

“Additionally, a special thanks to Peter and the ATP team for their role in building strong supplier relationships, adapting to new challenges, and ensuring that top-quality produce arrives in every Grubby box week after week. This commitment to quality and innovation is helping Grubby gear up for the busy seasons ahead, with exciting supplier partnerships in the making.”

Thankfully, due to the size and power of the trucks, most businesses appreciate that forklift training for novice operators is a requirement. However, the standard of training currently received across the UK is a real mixed bag, leaving some operators (and their colleagues and businesses) at risk.

For training to effectively promote safety and ensure compliance, the standards to which it is delivered are critical. Taking on a training provider without an understanding of the standards and service they offer can be a false economy, and may give you inadequate protection in the case of an audit or investigation.

Fortunately, the industry’s accreditation scheme is here to help. We explain its role and terminology to ensure you’re fully informed before entrusting a provider to upskill your new recruits…

What is accredited forklift training?

The Accrediting Bodies Association (ABA) was formed in 2012 to champion uniformity and standardisation within workplace transport training. The member bodies that make up the ABA together provide consistent frameworks for testing standards and categorisation of equipment. Working in consultation with the HSE, those bodies accredit training and regularly audit registered courses to ensure standards continue to be met.

It’s important to remember that not all training is created or delivered equally.

Receiving training accredited by a member body of the ABA guarantees you are getting standardised operator testing within the workplace transport category you require. You can also be assured that it complies with the requirements of Approved Code of Practice, L117, the HSE’s definitive guide to forklift safety and training.

Accredited training delivered to standards set by the ABA can help to provide employers with the assurance that requirements for safety and compliance will be met, which is added value that you may struggle to find with non-accredited providers.

Understanding the terminology

Due to the nature of the terminology surrounding accredited training within the industry, it is important that you know exactly what to look for, or you may be under the impression that you are receiving a standard of training which you are not.

For the best assurances of quality and standardisation, check that you are receiving accredited training. It’s key to note that subtle differences in language in this area can make all the difference. For instance, understanding that an “accredited provider” may not necessarily offer training accredited to ABA standards is crucial. Also, you may notice that a business utilises “registered instructors”, but again, this doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to provide you with accredited training.

For training to be accredited to ABA standards, three key measures must all be in place:

• it must be carried out by instructors registered to an ABA member body
• testing must be done to ABA standards
• courses must be registered with an ABA member accrediting body (this can only be done by a registered provider)

If your chosen provider meets the criteria, they can offer training accredited by an ABA member body, of which you can be certain of the quality delivered.

Checking the terminology will ensure you’re as covered as you think you are – look a little deeper and make sure your provider will deliver training that complies with L117.

Added value is found in assurance and quality

Crucially, for businesses in need of forklift training, accreditation provides the assurance that requirements will be met. You will have peace of mind that your operators are receiving consistent, high-quality training, and that the courses provided cover you for any and all legal requirements.

It is important therefore, that you consider this peace of mind when comparing quotes from multiple training providers, and properly assess the options in front of you. Which options give the necessary legal and quality assurances? Though price is obviously important, consider the future and which will be more cost-effective in the long run, should an accident or audit occur.

Essentially, businesses can fall into the trap of viewing forklift training as merely a tick box exercise. In doing so, the desire to source it as cheaply and efficiently as possible can put you at risk of selecting a provider without confirming exactly what you are getting for your money.

Always look for the relevant assurances of standards and service to ensure your operations remain safe, compliant and profitable. A provider whose standards are externally verified will ensure you and your team are in safe hands, leaving you suitably skilled and legally protected.

Mentor deliver accredited training, registered with AITT, a founding member of the ABA, and all testing is conducted to ABA standards. Instructors delivering our training are all registered with AITT and undergo regular audits to ensure training is consistently delivered to their standards, wherever it takes place in the UK. We also hold training records and certificates on our customers’ behalf for a minimum of seven years, should you need them at any stage.

For further guidance on ensuring training meets requirements, or to discuss accredited courses for your business, visit: https://mentortraining.co.uk/ or call 01246 555222.