As we continue to expand and grow, one of the board’s priorities is to develop and grow our team, which is why we like socialising, promoting from within and encouraging new people to join Metro, providing a consistent and reliable career path for all our colleagues.

On Saturday the 22nd August, 140 staff and partners from across our UK offices, gathered at the Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club, in the heart of the country, for a new tradition; The Metro Summer Party.

Gastronomic delights, beverages and live DJ were enjoyed by all in a giant marquee in the Forest of Arden’s delightful grounds, and while the outside entertainment was sadly ‘rained off’ everyone had more energy to dance the night away.

We are delighted to take this opportunity to publicly announce our latest round of internal promotions and congratulate all those shown below, wising them every success in their new roles and careers at Metro. 

 Andy Brooks - Operations Director

Elliot Carlile - Operations Director

Paul Moss - HR & BPO Director

Ian Powell - Customer & Technical Solutions Director

Jade Barrow - Process Improvement Director

Shelley Underwood – Airfreight Operations Manager

If you, or someone you know, would like to work with a progressive colleague-focused business, please EMAIL us a CV, with covering letter.

Despite continuous efforts by air and sea carriers to increase direct shipper relationships beyond the largest volume (BCO) contracts, freight forwarders still control the vast majority of air freight and last month NVO’s like Metro handled over half of FCL’s sailing from Asia, suggesting that importers are prioritising service over assets.

The COVID19 pandemic and the disruption it generated throughout sea freight supply chains bought into focus the issues that really matter to shippers, because price is irrelevant if there is no reliability or consistency of service.

Using a shipping line and even the largest carrier, that control ships, trucks, warehouses and other assets was no guarantee that  cargo would be lifted, or shipped, with even the biggest volume shippers having their containers rolled and contracted space allocations ignored.

Given the critical importance of their supply chains, shippers are typically adept at selecting the right solutions for their needs, when they focus on solutions and service capability above assets and Metro’s sole focus is providing consistently high-quality solutions with proprietary technology and embedded service culture.

We leverage the outstanding relationships we have built with all the leading air and sea carriers over 40+ years and shippers’ appreciation of the value that NVO’s like us can bring is growing, with the percentage of Asia import trade handled by NVOs versus direct shipper-carrier contracts increasing to 54%, an uptick of 8% in two years. 

Cash-rich after the pandemic’s sky-high freight rates, carriers have been extending capabilities from their core asset-based position, but freight industry history is replete with attempts by shipping lines to extend operations up-stream and down-stream, usually with little or no success.

We negotiate long-term volume and price contracts with airlines and shipping lines across all three alliances to secure space and rates, for the widest selection of NVO services.

EMAIL our Chief Commercial Officer, Andy Smith to learn about our NVO solutions, customer commitment and supply chain technology.

The UK freight industry’s only dedicated conference and exhibition – Multimodal – returned to Birmingham’s NEC centre last week and, being the largest forwarder in the neighbourhood, we popped in to catch the industry gossip and meet up with customers, partners and suppliers in the hall. 

We are big advocates of Multimodal, in showcasing our industry, and really value the work that Robert Jervis and his team have down over the years to make Multimodal the juggernaut of an event that it has become!

While we may not always have the opportunity to exhibit at Multimodal, we are happy to provide expert speakers, support key partners like our industry association BIFA and participate in the Multimodal Awards, which have become a regular diary event.

And with the NEC literally around the corner, our team are encouraged to visit the show, to develop their industry knowledge and meet key contacts.

After several years of sky-high profits and basement-level service it was probably not surprising to see so many ocean and air carriers exhibiting, in an effort to promote a more customer-friendly and conciliatory image.

Perhaps understandably, many shippers and forwarders, having endured poor communication and woeful service levels over the last two years, simply wanted to ‘vent their spleen’ at the carriers’ representatives. 

From our perspective, the carriers' presence presented the ideal opportunity to reinforce the personal relationships and shared understanding, that build the foundation for a better  commercial understanding and can get so many positive things done - behind the scenes.

We were particularly pleased to see the exhibiting premiere of our group shipping line, Ellerman City Liners, who were promoting their new Express Europe - USA service, which, judging by the crowds on the stand, was very well received.

Founded over 120 years ago, Ellerman’s heritage is steeped in British maritime history, with its substantial merchant fleet providing a massive contribution to the country in peacetime and during both World Wars.

It is with immense pride that we see this sleeping giant bought back to life, as part of our group of companies and wonderful to see our colleagues so warmly received in Birmingham; home of Multimodal and Metro.

To discuss any of the issues raised in this article please EMAIL Andrew Smith, Chief Commercial Officer.