Business, Feature, Freight News, Logistics

The nation of shopkeepers looks abroad

[ July 24, 2013   //   Chris ]

Davies Turner has developed a complete support package for British fashion retailers setting up operations abroad. Head of retail development, Dave O’Brien says that the forwarder and logistics specialist has recently been inundated with requests for rates and schedules from UK retailers joining the rush to open stores across Europe and beyond, for replenishing stock in their international stores.

He explains: “We now have a system in place that can deliver from a supplier’s UK distribution centre directly to the shop overseas, without passing through another distribution hub. This is especially important when fashion retailers move out of their comfort zone to develop new markets and sales channels.”

He says that the move to open stores overseas, as well as channel proliferation, is adding pressure to the already hyper-competitive apparel market with its seasonal merchandising, short cycles, fickle consumers, and fierce price competition.

Davies Turner offers a full range of multimodal freight services covering both full loads and worldwide groupage consolidations, with regional warehousing hubs, plus internet order-sorting and fulfilment where required.

This is combined with the company’s own P2D supply chain management system from purchase order to final delivery.

Davies Turner is also part of System Alliance Europe (SAE) grouping of independent forwarders who have similar expertise in the mechanics of delivering to town centre locations throughout the Continent where there may be emissions limits, permits and local regulations to contend with.

“Knowing where your product is, whether it is moving in the most cost-efficient manner and, if it will be available to ship from a distribution centre on time and to be delivered into store on time is key to handling multiple sales channels,” O’Brien explains. “Bespoke systems, designed in house and tailored to individual apparel customer requirements are part of our service which is proving indispensable to managing the supply chains of stores overseas. All companies using our services to replenish their export outlets get prior notification of the transit and lead times for delivery.”

O’Brien says that while Davies Turner can and does provide direct international store replenishment from the UK it is not all clients’ preference and it can also offer local distribution centres at each destination where a client can keep stock for the best selling lines for next-day replenishment if needed.

Tags: Davies Turner, System Alliance Europe