Team of the Year

Abbey Logistics Group

Abbey Logistics says its finance team is the engine that’s gone ‘above and beyond’ to drive continuous improvement in performance over the past four years, and particularly the past 12 months.

They have on-site involvement as well as additional responsibility for fleet, compliance, IT and payroll and have successfully navigated the challenges the business has faced as well as creating new opportunities, building strategies and improving Abbey’s overall performance.

“Abbey has demonstrated exceptional teamwork and an investment in young people,” said one of our judges. “The finance team are at the heart of the operation and are empowered to make important business decisions.”

Collett & Sons

The Collett team used its 250-tonne Goldhofer girder bridge trailer to deliver two 215-tonne super grid transformers from GE Stafford to the Kintore substation in Aberdeenshire.

The team travelled for 70 miles over two days to Ellesmere Port with the first unit. Here it was lifted by a Liebherr LG1550 mobile crane, then loaded for shipment to Aberdeen, arriving three days later before being discharged via a 600-tonne strut crane to the girder bridge trailer. The team was then able to ‘jack and skid’ the transformer to site before returning for the second unit.

“This was a mammoth operation,” said judges. “It required internal and external teamwork, planning and expertise of the highest level.”

Dfds

DFDS Logistics says it has excelled in its fleet operations over the past year as a result of creating and developing a business partnering and projects team.

The team looks beyond day-to-day operations to form more lasting relationships with partners and to align the DFDS business more closely with theirs. The team also ensures that the business is operating in the most efficient and cost-effective way. It consists of a group of senior managers from a range of departments including finance, operations and projects. “The new team has successfully transformed major clients into business partners,” our judges explained.

Partnered with

Palletline

In 2022, following a review of its ownership model, Palletline launched Project 100% with the aim of achieving full network coverage.

The ambitious objective saw the team comprising network and operations, business information and IT, and commercial departments eliminate caretaker costs and dual networking. It also successfully updated the relationship it has with its members through the introduction of a detailed ‘cost to serve’ model, inter-member rate reviews and a host of other measures. Within 12 months Palletline achieved 100% member coverage with zero caretaker fees.

“These are great results from a very focused team,” said our judges.

Pall-Ex

Pall-Ex created a network management team to drive operational efficiency. Comprising of multiple internal departments spanning service compliance, hub operations and strategic member development, this team has taken a targeted approach to addressing key issues and implementing sustainable solutions. “This is an exceptional submission,” concluded one of our judges. “It is clear and concise, explains why the team came together and provides good detail on its results. All the key challenges were identified and objectives fully met.”

The Haulage Holdings Organisation

In January 2022 the government updated the status of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in captive birds, poultry and wild birds. The Leo Group and Haulage Holdings were contracted to assist in the collection, transportation and disposal of diseased birds.

Operational teams were set up with a dedicated hot line to ensure a priority collection service was made available to farmers and producers. Haulage Holdings also used ADRregistered drivers and an additional training programme for them was undertaken. The firm identified a dedicated fleet of vehicles and trailers for the project including newly designed trailers with a durable designed sealed unit.

“An impressive response to a tough problem which required some strong teamwork,” said one of our judges.