Agilitas opens Euro logistics hub to sidestep Brexit issues

Agilitas has cut the ribbon on a European logistics hub centre to ensure it can continue to provide customers with support and assistance post-Brexit.

Although it is early days in the post-Brexit world, it is already becoming clear that hauliers are struggling with forms, and backlogs are starting to build up at ports. A lot of the channel took steps to prepare for the changes to minimise disruption and Agilitas is highlighting the fruits of those labours with its centre in Amsterdam.

The firm set up a Brexit taskforce following the 2016 referendum with the aim of safeguarding the business against changes and the key aim was to make sure that customers across both the UK and Europe were not negatively impacted. 

One of the results of that effort has been the establishment of its European logistics hub in Amsterdam, which will be used to hold hardware and enable the channel player to continue with its EU business without too much impact on its logistics and supply chain management.

“As an international solutions provider with a strong presence in Europe, guaranteeing continuity and stability through the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union was always of significant importance to Agilitas and our customers,” said John Street, operations director at Agilitas. “While it is certainly encouraging that a trade deal has now been agreed between the UK and EU, it was also paramount for Agilitas to be prepared for every potential scenario.

“International businesses such as Agilitas should always be prepared for change. We have been working closely with our supply chain partners over the past few months, implementing agile action plans to allow us to continue to support our EU customers, who need to receive the levels of service they are accustomed to.

“We are always looking to adapt and evolve as the industry develops, and our European logistics hub is just one of the ways we are transforming our business to remain relevant for customers, and continue to provide world-class channel services solutions.”

From a UK and international perspective, Agilitas already has a Nottingham-based logistics hub, which supports more than 67 countries, to reduce overheads and improve customer experience.

The channel player stressed the importance of keeping on top of its logistics and pointed to steps taken to automate its supply chain as helping to deliver turnover of £14m in FY19/20, with a 21.8% year-on-year increase in EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) profits, which it revealed last week.

Services play a key role, with Agilitas launching six fresh propositions during the fiscal year, including smart logistics, EPOS and printer maintenance, and device-as-a-service, with 75% of the business now coming from recurring revenues.

In a statement accompanying the results, Agilitas CEO Shaun Lynn also mentioned the other main factor in the market, the coronavirus pandemic, as another reason to increase supply chain automation.

“Covid-19 restrictions have only accelerated our approach to innovation,” he said. “From enhancements to our online quoting portal, AssureMeNow, to other services designed to help our partners during this challenging time, we still maintain our world-class support services, which have produced tangible results for our partners both in the UK and internationally.”