Logistics Stories

Craig is responsible for everything Midlands, currently three rail terminals BIFT, EMG, Hams Hall, two transport operations BIFT, EMG and one CSU team.

Craig applied to be a trainee traffic operator and has worked his way up. As he was already working in logistics (parcel company) it seemed natural to transition to HGV’s, he wasn’t necessarily attracted to the position, but he was attracted to the company and the growth/opportunities it presented.

Craig has always been a leader even from primary school being captain of sports teams throughout his school years. He can communicate with people from all walks of life due to the area he grew up in. Craigs area was very diverse filled with working class people, going to a private school via a scholarship meant that from early in life Craig was communicating with various class of people from working class to upper class. Essentially people are people and he learnt early that respect is important to all classes.

From day one in logistics, Craig was confident enough to find solutions within each area of his work. He can also put them forward and communicate these solutions out to people from various roles.

“I love to be challenged and logistics challenges me every day!”

The people, in our business and the industry, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from, how educated you are, if you work hard and can handle the pressure, you can have a very rewarding career.

The easiest highlight to mention would be the two individual awards Craig has won. But for him, his career highlight is always when he sees his teams develop and individuals grow into further roles.

Ross is responsible for Maritime’s IT Service Desk and day-to-day operations, alongside reviewing core applications that can be improved to align with current and future business requirements and goals.

When Ross started working at Maritime, he began in the operations division for four years, based in various locations (Felixstowe, Leeds and Alconbury), before moving into IT. There were no qualifications required for the role in operations; however good communication skills were a must. When moving into IT, a lot was self-taught and learnt on the job.

Ross was fortunate enough to grow up around the transport and logistics sector, and very close to Maritime, so always wanted to be involved in the business.

“I have been interested in transport and logistics from a young age. I wanted a career that always challenges me and that’s something you certainly get from the sector.”

Communication skills obtained throughout school and in previous positions have been key. Ross cannot stress how important communication is in the profession, no matter what area of the business you are working in.

“No day is ever the same; there is plenty of variation, whether it be working on high priority incidents relating to our infrastructure or projects, like onboarding new customers onto our TMS (transport management system), through integrations and improved workflows.”

He recently headed up a project to integrate a new piece of business with Tesco into Maritime’s systems, while improving previous business processes. Given the importance of Tesco as a customer, it was a career highlight for Ross to be trusted and involved in such a project.

Ed’s role is to drive the utilisation and growth of Maritime’s Intermodal division through rail and modal shift, utilising inland terminals to rail freight closer to its delivery point, for a more sustainable solution. He looks after the centralised planning function and commercials for all rail services across the UK.

He developed, through his previous 10 years in road transport, planning, and business development skills. Such as the ability to adapt his communication to suit various people, situations, and challenges. This allows him to review and look at route cause, to create change, lead and implement process where needed. Ed has also experienced a ground up career, working through an apprenticeship, which gave him a foundation of understanding that he could build on.

“Every day is different; I am faced with multiple challenges and new experiences. I get to cover all aspects of the business whether it be road, rail, finance, system implementation, project work and alongside great teams of people who are equally as enthused to get the job done.”

In 2022, Ed was awarded Young Rail Freight Professional of the year. This is a big career highlight for him currently.