Monday, December 2, 2019

Cargo Group Drinks to New Transport and Distribution Contract

200 Million Cases of Bottled Goods on the Move
Shipping News Feature

UK – Jigsaw, the transport solutions company and part of EV Cargo, has secured a multi-year transport and distribution agreement with beverage bottler Refresco. The contract will see 200 million cases of soft drinks and beverages transported annually from ten UK manufacturing and distribution sites direct to customers and for warehousing.

Other EV Cargo companies will play key roles in fulfilling the contract, with CM Downton a major transport lead and the Palletforce network involved with the efficient distribution of smaller consignments. The new suppliers will be working closely with partner haulier Sparks Transport, which has comprehensive experience delivering Refresco products.

Jigsaw says it beat off competition from larger multinationals to secure the contract and that it will now assist Refresco switch to a variable cost model, adding significant value by enhancing fleet utilisation and intelligently applying load fill to reduce waste and damages.

Alongside a core fleet of more than 50 vehicles, Jigsaw will have an on-site logistics presence at two key manufacturing sites with 45 staff moving across to the Jigsaw network under TUPE. Andy Humpherson, Jigsaw managing director, said:

“Securing the Refresco transport contract is a huge business win for Jigsaw and EV Cargo and a major milestone in our history. Our client offering has developed over the years and, as part of EV Cargo, we’re more than capable of competing with the large multinationals at the top of the managed transport sector. Working seamlessly with our partner hauliers, we will deliver significant added value and continuous improvement for Refresco by driving efficiency across its transport operations.”

EV Cargo says that the significant value and multi-year term contract is in line with its ambitious strategy for growth, aimed at developing commercial opportunities and expanding its customer base. Heath Zarin, EV Cargo chief executive, explained:

“Leveraging the combined strength of EV Cargo allows our operating companies to enhance their customer proposition. We have an ambitious growth strategy and have grown Jigsaw’s revenue base more than two and a half times in the last 18 months. Our success in securing this important customer relationship is a further testament of our ability to provide integrated, technology-enabled solutions to the world’s leading brands.”