Logistics Stories

Neil’s interest in logistics was piqued after scratching the surface during his undergraduate degree. Having completed a few Logistics and Transport modules while he studied, he found a 12 month graduate trainee course, and was curious to find out more.

The course provided an overview of the logistics industry, with several placements provided in different areas of the business. As well as giving Neil a better understanding of the industry as a whole, the placements helped him to understand where his skills were best suited, and which career path he’d like to follow.

Neil found his home in Solutions Design, where he’s responsible for producing cost effective, practical and innovative solutions for current and future customers. To do his job well Neil needs to understand and analyse customers’ logistics requirements. He models alternative methods of operation and then presents back compelling proposals.

He considers attention to detail and logical thinking to be the most important attributes to have, but he’s in it for the variety:

“I’ve always enjoyed the variety of projects we get to work on in Solutions – no two customers have the same requirements or priorities. One day we can be presenting a solution to a CEO, the next day measuring the racking in a warehouse!”

Neil’s role is to provide strategic challenge to the executive teams of the businesses that he works with, to ensure good governance and to ensure that the obligations to all stakeholders (shareholders, customers, staff) are being met.

He needed Senior experience in business, and a deep knowledge of supply chain management, logistics, home delivery, technology, business innovation and transformation for his role. Neil gained the roles through an extensive network of contacts, built up over many years of working in retail and logistics.

In terms of attraction, Neil is keen to share his knowledge and experience with a range of organisations and hopefully to help them to realise their ambitions. Neil has an almost obsessive focus on customer service, how to lead great teams, how to develop great people and how to build strong business propositions.

“The day-to-day variety – but that has always been the case in terms of a career in logistics.”

Neil has had too many great career highlights to mention – but building new, innovative customer-centred propositions with great teams has been core to the most enjoyable moments.

Paul began his career in logistics over 30 years ago, helping to configure and improve Warehouse Management Systems. After getting to grips with optimising efficiencies, processes, layouts and storage capacities, he wanted to broaden his knowledge.

A role as a Warehouse Operative proved to be a good fit, and he worked his way up, steadily gaining the experience and knowledge needed to secure a role in senior management, which saw him managing large 3PL operations for over 20 years.

But a specialism was calling, and in a new role as WMS and Operations & Lean Specialist, Paul embraced new skills in project management, continuous improvement and lean organisation management, working closely with teams to improve efficiency in all areas of operation, all while maintaining the highest level of customer service for his clients and their customers.

Paul now works with Kinaxia in the world of automation, managing a fully automated fulfilment centre. Throughout his varied and ever developing career in logistics, he still loves the challenge that comes with striving for operational improvement.

Working collaboratively with colleagues and clients to understand their business needs and develop strategies for their futures, he supports them to achieve their goals through his expertise.

“Helping businesses to build and sustain partnerships with clients whilst maintaining high levels of service has always given me so much satisfaction.”

Many who join the logistics industry arrive with no prior experience of the sector, but for some, it’s a family business.

“My father was a Class One driver for over 50 years, I was brought up in and around road transport, travelling all over Europe with him during my school holidays. It ignited a passion for the industry.” The road was where Robert started his career too, as a driver.

You might not find Robert on the road so much these days, but his current role as Group Operations Manager at Kinaxia has offered just as much experience and variety. “I look after the operational requirements of our General Haulage and Network divisions, supporting the Managing Director with the development and growth of the business.”

Learning on the job was clearly something Robert picked up from his dad, too. “After GCSEs, I went straight into a modern apprenticeship studying business – this allowed me to go straight into a working environment whilst furthering my education.”

And those skills have been bolstered ever since, “I currently have my Transport Managers CPC, as part of our businesses Operators License. I also have my Class 1 licenses, but I use my ‘driver’ knowledge as a useful asset in planning now I’m office based.”

Debbie is responsible for the Human Resources, Learning & Development, Marketing and Recruitment functions across the Kinaxia Logistics Group.

A qualification in Human Resources Management, normally through the CIPD, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development is required for her role.

Debbie has had a varied career that started in childcare moving to becoming an Air Stewardess and then into Human Resources. This transition occurred when a role became available whilst she was working at the airline for a trainee HR Administrator.

“I had never thought about Human Resources as a career before however the role really interested me and they were offering to put her through CIPD as part of the training.”

Debbie has worked in Human Resources ever since in various industry’s including pharmaceutical, an orchestra, engineering and finally supply chain logistics.

The skills required to work within Human Resources are transferrable to any industry, you just need to understand how that industry works in order to apply those skills appropriately. The ability to problem solve is also a key skill and to manage the risk associated with any problem that arises, which are often never the same especially when dealing with people.

One of the best things about Debbie’s role has been learning about the industry and getting to know some fantastic characters who have worked alongside their fathers and grandfathers to build their businesses up to what they are today.

Without going to university, Debbie became a member of the group’s Operating Board giving her the opportunity to build a department that supports the ever changing operational needs and strategical growth of a business has been the highlight of her career.

Samuel got his first car when he was 15, and the process of fixing it up with his dad during the lockdown, led him to consider a career as a mechanic.

“I really got into, and when I left school, that was what I decided to do”

He came in to do an interview with Kinaxia, was offered the position, and the rest is history.

“On my first day the Managing Director gave me a full tour, walked me round the workshop and warehouses and talked me through everything. I love the people I work with and the whole working environment.”