Metro Archives | Page 17 of 33

2024 tech road-map

Mar 20, 2024 | Metro, MVT, Supply Chain, Technology

Metro has been innovating leading-edge supply chain management, tracking and business-process technology for 20 years and in 2024 we will continue to increase our ability to integrate with stakeholders, share real-time data, accelerate workflows, automate processes and optimise our customers’ supply chains.

In 2024 we continue to focus on the core pillars of our technology strategy:

DigitalisationThe continued adoption of digital technologies that improve processes and create new opportunities
Digital twin: Creating indistinguishable digital counterparts to the physical supply chain
Platform Engineering: Accelerated development in customer facing applications
Big data: Integrate, manage, and analyse to uncover and deliver business value

The last quarter planning of 2023, including our cross-functional workshops, provided the springboard and momentum to start delivering against our product roadmap objectives, with the team achieving early successes in 2024 including:

January

Deployed comprehensive updates to our vessel tracking capability in MVT Track & Trace to provide customers with enhanced visibility, deviation reporting and insights resulting from the Red Sea crisis disruption
Development, launch and deployment of bespoke applications to provide enhanced control, visibility and regulatory compliance in specific parts of the supply chain for FMCG, Retail and Industrial & Manufacturing customers

February

Successfully completed the final cut-over from our legacy TMS to CargoWise CW1 product and initiated a continuous improvement programme to identify where we can drive further optimisation of business processes, with a blend of technology and automation
Successfully completed multiple system integrations to both customer facing (x6) and 3rd party (x1) systems
Initiated our ISO27001 information security accreditation, to demonstrate our commitment to compliance and cyber security practices in building customer confidence of our technology offering

March

Launched enhancements to our CW1 TMS and CUDOS customs platform application which further improves our customs clearance times and service delivery to customer
Further development to the Metro rebranding and new website, that showcases our services and commitment to deliver for our customers

These early successes spur us on to continue the delivery of our ambitious 2024-2025 plans.

We are excited to announce that we will be expanding the technical solutions team and, as part of our global strategy, we will leverage our wholly owned office in Chennai, India to base local developer talent to accelerate the pace of delivery.

We are confident that complementing our existing team with a cohort of colleagues in India will bring valuable insights, expertise, and creativity to our projects and help us achieve our vision.

If you know any high performing developers in India who are looking to join a dynamic, forward thinking and technology focused freight forwarder, please encourage them to submit their CV, via our careers page.

We are excited for what 2024 will bring and how our technology roadmap will aid the delivery of Metro’s strategic objectives.

Metro is leading the industry in developing the technologies and platforms that simplify and enhance optimal supply chain management.

Visibility, control, environmental, and customs modules, blend together with integrations of critical digital trade documents, including electronic bills of lading (eBL) to provide an unparalleled supply chain platform.

EMAIL Ian Powell for further Information on our digital capabilities and how we can support your global trade and business growth ambitions.

Driving road freight excellence

Mar 11, 2024 | Intermodal, Metro, Road, Short sea

Into his second year Metro’s European Director, Richard Gibbs, updates us on his mission to develop the infrastructure, systems and services that will provide the best European transport solutions, for effectiveness and cost efficiency.

“Metro has expanded its European road freight platform considerably in 2023, growing the dedicated commercial and operational team by 12 and we are forecasting the continuation of this trajectory in 2024, with a 100% further increase in shipment numbers.

European road freight, cross-trade movements and associated customs operations are managed by teams located at our Global HQ in Birmingham, Manchester and Desford.

These dedicated road freight teams leverage their extensive knowledge, market expertise and unrivalled customer service to deliver efficient, road transport solutions, with full visibility and dashboard control available via the MVT supply chain management platform.

It is the teams’ attention to detail and focus on the little things that achieves the ideal balance of lead-time, capacity, frequency and cost, to transform standard road freight services into something very special, that meet every supply chain need.

Departing daily from around the UK and Europe; our secure full load services embrace general cargo, temperature-controlled, garment logistics and out-of-gauge shipments.

Larger part-load movements, over 1,500 kilos, are collected, transported and delivered on the same vehicle which ensure maximum reliability, security and speed.

For urgent shipments we provide an all-in price, transit time and booking for European Express van shipments, including guaranteed next day delivery.

With defined departure and delivery dates, our groupage services are the perfect economical solution for smaller cargo loads. Reliable door-to-door solutions, with easy booking, seamless customs processing and online tracking.

Cargo is received continuously at our midlands hub and continental freight centres for daily groupage departures to and from destinations across Europe, with Q2 expansion of groupage services to/from France/Germany/Benelux/Turkey and Iberia.

Continued growth in customer demand and team members means the team in Manchester has recently increased its office footprint (see pics below) and their road freight colleagues in Desford are in the process of relocating to a new location, which is 500% larger in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire.”

To learn more about our European capability, including FTL/LTL, groupage, express, customs brokerage (CuDoS) and distribution (DDP) solutions EMAIL Richard Gibbs.

Metro’s Business development Director

Feb 21, 2024 | Metro

With over ten years in commercial management, we are very pleased to welcome our new Business Development Director, Emiliano Muco BSc (Finance). Since graduating from the University of Hertfordshire Emiliano has held a variety of roles with some of the biggest names in freight forwarding and brings a wealth of experience covering all modes and geographies.

Emiliano joins the business at an exciting time, as Metro undergoes its biggest transformation in years, with new leadership, new senior management team, new branding, enhanced technology and a renewed focus on people development, customer service and business growth.

As Metro moves forward, Emiliano’s wide ranging experience will be invaluable in developing our full portfolio of services, encompassing global multi-modal transport, customs brokerage, supply chain management, 4PL and contract logistics.

Talking about his new role, Emiliano said. “With a large forwarder’s capability and a small forwarder’s customer focus, Metro already provides its customers with significant benefits, but when you combine those USPs with their leading-edge technology, it takes the Metro proposition to a whole different level. I am genuinely excited by my opportunity here.”

Grant Liddell, Metro’s managing director. “We welcome Emiliano to the team and wish him every success in his new role. His skills, experiences and accomplishments will be invaluable in helping us to increase our market share, customer base, and profitability. Emiliano will play a pivotal role in developing our service portfolio and driving revenue growth by identifying new business opportunities and expanding Metro’s presence in our markets.”

As of the middle of February, Emiliano is six weeks into his new Metro role and just four weeks away from his first baby’s due date!

If you need a second opinion on a logistics question or have a tender coming up soon, there is still time to EMAIL Emiliano before he starts his paternity leave.

Our unique transatlantic shipping line

Feb 21, 2024 | International Trade, Metro, Sea, Supply Chain, United States

We have been supporting bi-lateral UK/USA trade, with air and sea freight services, for over four decades, which is why we are so excited by our in-house shipping line, Ellerman City Liners, transatlantic capacity deal with the world’s biggest shipping line, MSC.

Ellerman’s weekly sailing United States Express Service (USX) is supported by our own offices and delivers some of the fastest containerised transit times available – direct to Philadelphia from just 13 days – and because it utilises non-congested ports and terminals, port clearance and inland movements are seamless too.

USX is the only direct service operating to and from Jacksonville, serving the Baltic, Scandinavia, Europe and the United States, with four calls on the East Coast, including Philadelphia.

The MSC and Ellerman City Liners agreement utilises a combination of MSC capacity and our own independent vessel between ports, with a set weekly volume and an option to increase as required, covering dry and refrigerated containers.

Pasquale Formisano, Senior Vice President of MSC, said, “I’m very pleased we’re extending our strategic partnership with Ellerman, one of the shipping industry’s great names. This agreement is all about efficiency. Guaranteed cargo means we can operate at maximum capacity and, therefore, minimise the environmental impact of each TEU we carry. The more we can do that, the more we can reduce emissions.”

Peter Andrews, Commercial Director of Ellerman, said, “We are delighted to announce this co-operation with MSC, the world’s largest shipping company. This agreement allows Ellerman to operate with greater efficiency, reducing our environmental footprint whilst also broadening our geographical scope in both Europe and the United States.”

The agreement covers routes between ports in Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Germany, UK, Belgium and France, and ports on the Atlantic Coast of the United States, from New York to Florida. It also includes the capacity to extend services to include routes around the world.

The Ellerman US Express (USX) service has a complete port rotation of Klaipeda – Gdynia – Gothenburg – Bremerhaven – Felixstowe – Antwerp – Le Havre – New York – Philadelphia – Norfolk – Jacksonville.

ELLERMAN CITY LINERS – United States Express Service
– Fast and reliable transit times with a weekly service
– Tailor made end to end solutions
– Direct port calls in Scandinavia and Baltics
– Own offices in Spain, Portugal, UK and Germany
– All equipment types offered
– Only direct sailings to/from Jacksonville
– Fast & reliable transhipment options

To learn more about our USX solutions, please EMAIL Chief Commercial Officer, Andy Smith.

Header image reproduced courtesy of Ellerman City Liners