Supply Chain & Logistics
The supply chain decisions that compound over years.
Sourcing, freight, 3PL, inventory, forecasting, compliance. Get them right and the business scales smoothly; get them wrong and you spend years recovering working capital.
Definition
Supply chain and logistics for product businesses spans sourcing (supplier selection, contracts, quality), freight (sea, air, road, customs), warehousing (in-house, 3PL selection, multi-site), inventory planning (forecasting, replenishment, safety stock), and compliance (CE/UKCA, REACH, IOSS, customs).
Where SME supply chains tend to break
- Single-supplier dependency creates cost and continuity risk
- Sea freight volatility wipes out the year's margin if not hedged operationally
- 3PL relationship outgrows the original contract; costs creep with no benchmark
- Forecasting is spreadsheet-based and lagging, over-ordering ties up cash, under-ordering loses sales
- Customs paperwork done reactively; commodity codes wrong; duty being overpaid
- Compliance gaps (UKCA, REACH, EU labelling) become enforcement issues
What we work on
- Sourcing strategy: supplier base diversification, FOB vs DDP, audit and quality systems, contract terms
- Freight optimisation: mode selection, freight forwarder selection, contracted rates, capacity planning
- 3PL selection & management: RFP design, contract negotiation, SLA design, ongoing performance management
- Inventory planning: forecasting models, safety stock logic, ABC classification, slow-mover liquidation
- Customs and duty: commodity classification, duty optimisation, AEO, deferred VAT
- Compliance: UKCA, CE, REACH, REACH-UK, EU labelling, country-of-origin
- Working capital: stock turn improvement, supplier payment terms, free up cash without breaking the operation
How the engagement runs
Supply chain audit
End-to-end mapping with cost, lead time, and risk at each node.
Priority decisions
The 3 to 5 highest-impact changes ranked by cash and margin impact.
Implementation
Supplier work, 3PL transitions, inventory model rebuild, done with the team.
Operating rhythm
Monthly S&OP, supplier scorecards, inventory health dashboard in place.
FAQ
Do you have direct sourcing relationships in China?
Yes, across consumer goods, automotive parts and home/leisure categories. We've worked with sourcing agents, freight forwarders, and direct manufacturer relationships.
Can you negotiate our 3PL contract?
Yes. Most engagements include 3PL benchmarking and renegotiation as one of the early wins. Typical savings are 8 to 15% on per-order cost.
What's your view on Brexit / EU customs?
It added genuine operational complexity that won't be reversed. The right answer for most UK product businesses with significant EU sales is operational infrastructure in the EU (FBA or 3PL), not shipping every order from the UK.
Do you work with food, drink, supplements?
Yes for general supply chain principles. For category-specific regulatory work (FSA, MHRA), we work alongside specialist regulatory consultants.
Can supply chain work be done as a one-off project?
Absolutely, see the Operations Transformation service. Examples include 3PL switch, sourcing diversification project, or warehouse relocation.
See if this is the right fit for your business.
30 minutes, no pitch. You'll leave with actionable insight whether you engage further or not.