The trajectory is firmly upward for Europe-wide multimodal specialist Ewals Cargo Care. Paul Hamblin meets the UK team.

It’s a long way from one man with a horse and cart in a Dutch town to 28 offices, over 2500 employees in 14 countries, and thousands of movements to the furthest reaches of Europe and back every day of the year.

But that is exactly what Ewals Cargo Care has achieved. The multimodal specialist founded as long ago as 1906 by Alfons Ewals is still family-owned, the fourth generation now overseeing an impressive growth trajectory currently comprising 4650 trailers and an accompanying control tower suite to optimise customer supply chains.

This year sees the company consolidating its ambition with a refreshed brand identity, logo and mission statement – all unveiled at Transport Logistic Munich in June – as well as an expanded website by which visitors can better navigate the range of logistics services the company now offers. “It’s not about relaunch, it’s about refinement, honouring our legacy and highlighting our future direction,” explains Michael Brand, Regional Marketing and Communications Coordinator.

The company wanted to better reflect the depth and expansion. “Two years ago, we had a network of 3800 trailers, now it’s over 4500,” he adds. “The plan is to keep increasing and the next target is 5000 – and the reason the trailers are being acquired is because the business continues to expand.”

Mega Trailer Innovator

It’s also about raising awareness. “We’re a bit of a best-kept secret in many ways,” he reflects. “Yet the Mega Trailer is something we co-created in collaboration with the automotive industry.”

The Mega Trailer is a key weapon in the ECC armoury, because its extra volume provides three precious wins for clients – shipment economy, fuel economy, and sustainability gains.

Those wins dovetail neatly with the company’s new mantra: Care, Connect, Move: “We don’t just transport cargo; we take care of it. We care for our customers, their cargo, and each other. It’s in our DNA.”

Austen King is the UK/Ireland Sales Manager and responsible for what is a key market for the company. He says that the ability to understand customer requirements deriving from years of experience is at the heart of the company’s success. A second crucial ingredient is versatility. The company’s size and reach mean it can react fast to changing circumstances – and all logistics transport professionals know what a vital quality that is.

“We are predominantly unaccompanied and that means that we have many options,” he explains. “Contingencies are a big thing for us; we can provide alternatives very quickly if needed. For instance, here in the UK we utilise at least 10 different ports, shipping via options in Holland and Belgium, also Portugal, Bilbao, Santander, Gothenburg; I could go on. We can pick up and deliver as the customer wants it to suit their needs and circumstances.”

Modal Shift

At the heart of the model is The Modal Shift, driven in part by the sustainability agenda. National and International regulators, as well as end consumers, are requiring businesses to reduce carbon emissions to meet global targets, and the transport industry is a key focus area for change.

“There are so many ways we can help make a difference,” says Austen King. “The biggest emissions savings come from utilizing short-sea and rail over direct road options but also, for instance, by better exploiting the shortest distances Let’s look at an example. Say you’re loading at Manchester, the quickest route is to Immingham then across to Zeebrugge by short-sea. If you had chosen to drive down to Folkestone to cross at Calais and then drive up through Belgium, your emissions are already higher. The point is that small tweaks applied in the right areas can be as important as the larger changes, but only if you have the network reach.”

Michael Brand adds: “Savings from 10-15 per cent all the way up to 60 per cent are possible with The Modal Shift. And it shouldn’t be forgotten that mode switch can also help address issues with driver shortages.”

ECC says it recognises its own commitment to sustainability in the trucking fleet it deploys to move trailers, currently comprising 700 own tractor units and 1200 subcontractors. All vehicles within the fleet and those sub-contracted are of Euro VI standard. This also ensures they are ready and able to use HVO 100, a biodiesel which can further reduce total emissions by up to 90%. ECC says it is an option which can be deployed into clients’ existing supply-chain operation today with minimal disruption.

Success in logistics is about adapting to industry changes and customer needs on a rolling, continuous basis. Austen King points out that this underpins the Ewals growth story as it evolves its customer base.

“We have a long history with the automotive industry,” he recounts. “Over the past five or six years we’ve increasingly moved into other areas such as recyclables, chemical, paper and packaging, as well as general industrial, even solar farm projects. The point is that we can take on massive projects reliably for the customer and meet their capacity needs due to the size of our fleet.”

Changing consumer habits have brought opportunities in new areas. “Fashion and ecommerce, for example, require quick turnaround traffic. Our connections, our local trucking bases close to hubs mean that we can do that for them. We can take deliveries from the Far East off the train in Budapest, but we can also use those locations as switch points to bring goods to UK.”

Eastern Europe has become a significant area in European logistics, he reflects. “There is now a lot more fleet in Eastern Europe, and Turkey is a big growth area, but they are a long way from the UK. A lot of this activity stems from changes in the automotive industry. These longer transit times mean we need more trailers in the network to cope with the volumes, and Mega Trailers are perfect for it. Morocco is another location we see coming into play in the future, continuing the trend of integration at the EU’s limits.”

Warehouse on Wheels

Significantly, ECC does not maintain a warehouse roster beyond two sites in Venlo (Netherlands) and Zeebrugge, preferring instead what Austen King (pictured, below) calls a “warehouse on wheels” concept. “Any touching of cargo brings cost,” he argues. “What we can do is to optimise transit times to the customer’s advantage. An example might be to use a long ferry from Spain to the UK. Yes, the journey will take 10 days, but I have the network to cope with that and, importantly, those are 10 days when the shipment is not in the customer’s warehouse. And as soon as it’s in a warehouse, that’s cost. This is why we always have detailed conversations with clients to ensure they get exactly what they want and need.”

Meanwhile, he is delighted with growth in the UK/Ireland territory: “We’ve seen double digit growth year on year, we’ve doubled headcount to almost 80 people and we moved to newer, bigger offices in 2023.”

The company is not resting on its laurels, though. “That growth has enabled us to provide renewed focus on our LTL offering and on our Control Tower services,” he reveals. He says the LTL potential is high, given the company’s cross-Europe coverage, and its own, integrated, sustainable assets backed by the local expertise in those 29 offices in 14 countries.

Does he see any threats?

“Input costs keep rising, so there is always pressure on us to keep costs down for customers. Road charges, tolls, you name it: we get over one obstacle and then another one comes along. But we’re not alone in that, so that’s a consolation!”

Starlinks, a global logistics technology leader, has strengthened its long-term automation strategy with the successful completion of its first large-scale robotics deployment in partnership with Geekplus. The project, driven by surging fulfilment demand in the region, builds on Starlinks’ commitment to operational excellence through its Solutions division’s Design–Build–Operate–Transfer (DBOT) model.

The Riyadh distribution centre now operates with a fully integrated Geekplus RoboShuttle8 system alongside advanced sorting solutions. Designed for high-density, high-throughput operations, RoboShuttle8 combines flexible Tote-to-Person automation with vertical storage capabilities of up to 12 metres unlocking capacity and efficiency without the complexity or capital costs of fixed infrastructure.

Since the beginning of the deployment, the system has delivered measurable operational gains. Which has achieved:

• Up to 3x the normal picking speed
• Up to 4x the storage density
• Nearly 2 percentage points improvement in picking accuracy compared to manual operations
• A fleet of 39 RoboShuttle8, 126 P40, and 90 S20C robots now in operation

These results reflect Starlinks’ selective approach to optimising automation performance, with goods and stowing strategies carefully chosen to maximise output.

“Our DBOT model means we own the full lifecycle, from design to operation, ensuring that automation isn’t just deployed, but truly embedded into our customers’ success stories,” said Makrem Kadachi, Managing Director of Solutions and UAE at Starlinks. “This partnership with Geekplus shows how we combine operational expertise with best-in-class technology to deliver sustainable, scalable performance gains.”

The RoboShuttle’s hybrid AMR design allows it to operate seamlessly across multiple storage heights, combining the adaptability of mobile robotics with the space efficiency of traditional AS/RS systems. Its modular architecture also enabled the smooth integration of a sorting solution into the existing picking workflow critical for e-commerce operations where order patterns and volumes shift rapidly.

“The success of this project highlights the strength of our RoboShuttle solution for the e-commerce sector,” said Wayne Tai, Sales Director for the MENA region at Geekplus. “It offers the agility and scalability that fulfilment operations need to achieve same-day delivery, particularly in fast-growing markets like the Middle East.”

With phase one complete, Starlinks and Geekplus are set to deepen their automation partnership, focusing on further operational gains and reinforcing their shared vision of shaping the future of tech-enabled logistics in the region.

Cross Point Business Park in Coventry, UK, is home to a new multi-user DC featuring a high degree of automation equipment. David Priestman took a look.

Teenage girls go mad for the beauty and make-up retailer Sephora – I have first-hand knowledge of that! With 34000 products the company requires a fast-moving third-party logistics omnichannel operation that manages both ecommerce plus deliveries to the seven UK stores every other day. 30% of UK consumer purchases are now made online.

DHL Supply Chain provides this nationwide service from Coventry over three mezzanine floors of storage, picking, packing and despatch. With an average of 7000 consumer orders a day the ecommerce operation is busy all afternoon and evening. From the inbound area all products are checked, scanned-in and put away. The warehouse control and inventory management process is data intensive. DHL manage that as well as constant analysis of the warehouse layout, looking at fast-moving items and juggling the varying demand for beauty products, subject to swings in trends and loyalties. This enables products to be stored in high or low priority areas.

Pick of the Bots

The picking operation makes good use of ‘Chuck’ ‘follow me’ robots (pictured, top). 45 of them are leased from Ocado (OIA). The Chucks are used for building the customers’ orders, using software developed by OIA. The software tells pickers what cardboard boxes should be used for each order. The bot then drives along the pre-determined route and knows where to go, leaving the (human) picker to simply take each item, scan and place in the right box. Each Chuck is named after a famous singer, with my favourite being ‘Bowie’, which was taking a well-earned rest when I visited.

DHL has cleverly built its own automated packaging machines here that close, glue and label each completed box lid, handling 60% of the ecommerce packages here that are taken by conveyor to outbound. Before the consumer changes her mind, no doubt.

Hot SKUs

DHL Supply Chain (just one part of the global behemoth) has 180,000 employees, 1600 DCs in 50 countries and a 3PL market share of 6%. In the UK it operates 5000 lorries and vans, 450 DCs with 36,000 staff. “Global trade is still growing and is the life blood of our expansion,” UK & Ireland CEO Saul Resnick states. “Retail is in a state of flux. They need us to be fast and innovative. We offer them enterprise diversity without the logistics footprint.”

The company is committed to automating its warehouse processes as much as possible. Tim Tetzlaff is its head of Digitalization and Automation. “Innovation is only real when it is scaled,” he says. Warehouse space is at a premium, as is labour, and customer expectations continue to rise. Tetzlaff’s role is to oversee the selection of technology and then scale it – picking bots, goods-to-person systems, AMRs, AI and more. Ideas lead to research then proof-of-concept, productization, commercialization and finally the modular standardization of all automation for rolling out globally.

Reaching Out

Boston Dynamics new ‘Stretch’ bot (pictured, below) unloads pallets, lifting boxes on to conveyors. It constantly photographs packages and processes these to understand what is next and the trajectory of each manoeuvre. With a weight limit of 23kg it is being tested by DHL for use cases. With 10 currently deployed, the goal is to operate 1000 of them by 2030. Faster than a human at 600 cases per hour, it will replace ‘back-breaking’ work in (often) cold environments.

“We have a vision on where we allocate our labour; approximately 25% on putaway and replenish, 35% picking, 10% packing,” Tetzlaff explains. “It’s not about replacing people but changing their roles from strenuous, repetitive physical tasks, to managing robots. Managers and planners oversee both people and bots, using data for insights on-site. We want to be the best integrator of people, bots, IT and analytics for flexible stability, seamlessly integrating tech and data to continually and dynamically optimise operational service delivery.” Now that would be modern beauty.

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Coupa is an AI-powered spend management platform with big customer numbers – and even bigger ambitions. As the company targets Europe for further growth, Paul Hamblin meets its new international head.

The name? It started with a caffe latte – or maybe an espresso.

The story begins in 2006 at Coupa, a Palo Alto cafe where two former Oracle execs sat down to formulate a transformational software for e-procurement. Nineteen years later, the cloud-based platform they created has evolved into a spend management platform used by over 3,200 customers worldwide, including some of the largest and best-known multinationals, plus a community network of over 10 million participants. In 2023, the company was acquired by private equity software specialist Thoma Bravo for a reported $8 billion.

That’s quite a journey from a couple of coffees and croissants. And the name has stuck.

What exactly is ‘Spend management’? It can mean several things to Coupa customers both large and small, including some or all of procurement, invoicing, compliance (with contracts and regulatory matters) and payments to suppliers. Automation and optimisation of processes accompanied by analytics of cost and performance are the most obvious benefits.

The real win is that the software connects an enormous network of buyers and suppliers. As the world knows, networks mean data; and data means AI can start to work its magic.

Perfect Combination for Data

Coupa’s pitch to customers and prospects is that it combines AI with the world’s best direct and indirect total spend management platform. This enables, in the company’s own words, the ‘world’s largest supply and demand data reservoir’.

It goes without saying that the best data makes the best AI. ‘We are all smarter together,’ and ‘We make every dollar matter’ are two neat messages that Coupa deploys to drive home this advantage. Put it all together and the result is a ‘margin multiplier’.

Joao Paulo da Silva, a Portuguese national now based in Madrid, was appointed in summer 2024 to lead the team’s international expansion everywhere outside the Americas. I met him at Coupa Inspire in London, the latest stop on a world tour of conferences attended by customers, partners and consultants. A veteran of SAP, major consultancies and private equity organisations, he is clear about the road ahead for Coupa.

“We have a strong agenda for growth. We are currently about $1.1 billion ARR, we plan to double in size in the next 3-4 years to $2 billion, and in 8-10 years we are targeting $10 billion ARR.”

These are undeniably bold targets. How will the company achieve them?

“Growth will come from the expansion of our business both in the Americas and internationally, and by enhancing and augmenting our portfolio. First, we will widen our geographical footprint. Southern Europe including Italy and Spain, South-East Asia and Japan are all strong growth territories for us.”

Portfolio enhancements will come as Coupa widens its overall offering to customers. “Coupa is always very strong in indirect procurement, but in some of the more complex industries, such as manufacturing, we are now increasingly able to offer more in direct procurement,” he reveals.

Another expansion area is category management support to help customers strategize more specifically category by category (examples might include IT, or transport logistics). The acquisition in May 2025 of Croatia-based Cirtuo, a proven specialist in category management software, provides evidence of this portfolio broadening.

Alongside portfolio growth, the partnership network will also increase. “We are making a big global investment in this area to make sure we have a large network of partners capable of supporting mid-market businesses that are very eager to capture and use the same solutions as the big organisations,” he explains.

Supply Chain Design Support

It brings us to the core question. What can Coupa offer that its competitors cannot?

“Today we have the largest dataset in the industry with a capability beyond what anyone else has,” he argues. “We aggregate the data from 3500 customers – from Amazon to much smaller businesses – and this provides insights to our community. We are a unique company because no other vendor has the capability to provide what we can. Yes, a rival solution might give the customer the capacity to transact, to perform a procurement task, but no other company gives the ability to operate that task in the context of such useful information and insights. Our community is very strong, our customers come together to share experiences and information in a way that few software companies can achieve.”

He brings us back to that powerful ‘margin multiplier’ image. “We are the only platform that can manage the total spend of a company, from supply chain to payment, and make it transparent in one single view. That’s why we say it’s a margin multiplier, because if you multiply the small efficiencies made possible in each component of the platform, it becomes EBITDA-relevant for the company.”

He says Coupa is taking the Procure-to-Pay model a stage beyond; an updated description might be ‘Design-to-Pay’ partner. It’s a description facilitated by the company’s acquisition of established supply chain software specialist Llamasoft back in 2020, furthered by the Cirtuo addition.

“We are now helping you as the customer design your supply chain. You as the customer know your strategy and what you want to achieve with your objectives: they might be to cut costs, improve sustainability or resilience. Whatever you strategize, the important thing is that it links to the execution, the backbone of the platform where you obtain objective feedback on that strategy. Was it the right strategy? Constant feedback from the platform is crucial to your understanding. Once you are satisfied with your strategic objectives, the tool will provide three AI-based models to enable you to execute optimally on that strategy.”

AI Opportunities – Not Threats

AI is clearly a game-changer in supply chain design and execution, but do the much-discussed fears about the technology have any justification, in Mr da Silva’s view?

“The beauty of Coupa is that we have been cloud-native since the beginning and many of our solutions already incorporate AI functions. It’s something we’re very comfortable with. But look at all the innovations in history; all created more jobs than before, and I believe that is what will happen again this time.”

That’s another bold assertion. He enlarges: “This is the first time in history you have a technology that every single department in the company wants to use. Think of blockchain, say, which directly only affects certain teams. As we mature all these models and improve and develop the things that we will be able to do, workers are going to be more specialised because they will be able to process so much more information as part of their role. There will be many more insights to leverage, delivered with more precision. The AI journey is a fascinating one.”

Mr da Silva (pictured, below) advocates the view that AI and automation are about enabling people, not replacing them. He cites an example from that day’s earlier keynote at Coupa Inspire, in which a major bank explained how touchless procurement had enabled it to shift staff from cost control teams to revenue-generating functions.

“Digital also allows to react much faster,” he adds, citing another example described at Coupa Inspire. “You are alerted to a potential issue somewhere in the world straightaway. That means you can anticipate difficulties and act to mitigate them. Our client described how, very soon after an earthquake, the platform started picking up signals showing problems in supply logistics in the region, immediately generating an automated RFP to alternative suppliers so that schedules are disrupted as minimally as possible.”

The current volatility and uncertainty in world trade is a perfect example of what causes companies to enter, in the pithy phrase of Coupa CEO Leagh Turner, “a margin erosion zone”.

Joao Paulo da Silva agrees. “We are all about cost-saving, so during global slowdowns we are here to help, and in a very dynamic way. In the past, a company might take a whole month to redesign its supply chain when reacting to unexpected events; now we can do it in a few hours. The system helps customers to simulate different scenarios and thus give them greater confidence in their decision making. What do I do if the tariff landscape changes? How does it impact me? How do I redeploy logistics centres? Or production? The platform will offer options and solutions.”

The Spanish capital has three airports-Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, Cuatro Vientos, and Torrejón. Each of these airports plays a specific role: Barajas is the main airport and international gateway to Madrid, Cuatro Vientos is dedicated to general aviation and training, and Torrejón, finally, has a more institutional and military vocation. For private jet travelers, Barajas stands out for the breadth of services and the presence of a dedicated terminal, but the overall landscape reflects well the variety and complexity of air traffic in Madrid.

In this article we look in detail at Madrid Barajas Airport, dedicated private jet services and luxury connections to the city center.

Barajas Airport: the heart of business aviation in Madrid

Barajas is the largest airport in Madrid and Spain, and within it is the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), a landmark for private jet flights. Here, passengers access reserved spaces and separate procedures from the commercial terminals, with rapid screening and personalized services that guarantee maximum privacy and significantly reduced waiting times.

FBO and ground services

GAT hosts some of the leading international players:

• Universal Aviation Spain – comprehensive operations management, dedicated lounges and 24/7 support.
• Gestair – historic Spanish operator, with hangar and maintenance services directly at Barajas.
• General Aviation Service – operational support and reception for passengers and crew.

Madrid-Barajas Airport’s handling companies dedicated to private jets, offering comprehensive services: hangars, reserved lounges, meeting rooms, customized catering and technical support at every stage of the flight

Aena’s signature VIP services dedicated to private jets

In addition to the CAT facilities, Madrid Barajas Airport offers services operated directly by Aena that make the experience smoother:

• VIP Lounges: elegant spaces to relax or work while waiting for your flight.
• Fast Lane and Fast Track: priority access to security controls.
• Meet & Assist: dedicated staff accompanying the passenger from check-in to baggage claim.
• Premium Service: arrivals and departures via a separate route with a private car from the terminal to the aircraft.

For those flying by private jet, combining GAT services with Aena’s VIP services means having a travel experience consistent with the highest international standards.

Luxury connections between Barajas airport and downtown Madrid

One of the aspects that make Madrid Barajas Airport particularly convenient is its strategic location: the airport is about 12 km from the center. Transfer options are numerous and suitable for every need.

• Fixed-rate cab: €33 to any destination within the M-30, no surcharges.

• Private transfers with driver: bookable directly through FBOs or through Aena Premium Services, ideal for those who want to travel without waiting time.

Cuatro Vientos and Torrejon: Madrid’s other airports.

Cuatro Vientos (LECU): just 8 km from downtown, it is the oldest airport in Spain and today is used mainly for general aviation and flight schools. It does not offer the necessary infrastructure for medium- to long-range private jets.

Torrejón (LETO): military base with a civilian component intended for some executive flights. Access is more restricted and regulated than at Barajas.

For these reasons, those flying by private jet almost always choose Barajas as their only operational reference point.

Why choose Madrid Barajas Airport for your private flight to Spain’s capital city

• Exclusive private jet terminal with direct and quick access to the aircraft.
• World-class handlers and FBOs, capable of handling any operational needs.
• VIP and Premium services that ensure a smooth experience from arrival to downtown.
• Quick connections to Madrid’s business areas and central districts.

Contact PrivateJetFinder to land in Madrid in confort

If Madrid is your next private jet destination, Madrid Barajas Airport is the natural choice. The combination of modern infrastructure, exclusive services, and efficient connections to the city makes it one of Europe’s most comprehensive airports for business aviation flyers.

Want to plan your next flight to Madrid? With PrivateJetFinder you can choose the most suitable jet and arrange every detail of your trip, from the aircraft to the ground services.

Useful links:

1. Book a private jet from Barcelona to Madrid
2. Book a private jet from London to Madrid
3. Book a private jet from Milan to Madrid
4. Book a private jet from Paris to Madrid
5. Read the our article On luxury flights from Rome to Madrid

A last mile conference hosted by FarEye revealed a growing appetite for AI and a waning one for carbon reduction, reports Peter MacLeod.

I had the pleasure of attending the Last Mile Leaders European Conference in Amsterdam in May, an event hosted and expertly delivered by FarEye. Bringing together retailers, carriers and tech providers from across Europe, the conference provided a clear and, at times, candid view of where the last mile is headed and how sharply the road ahead is turning.

The headline takeaway came as no surprise, namely that cost is king. But closely following behind are customer expectations and a cautious but accelerating interest in AI. Somewhat surprisingly was the finding that whereas sustainability was once front of mind, it’s now viewed as more often a bonus than a baseline. As he unveiled the “Eye on the Last Mile” report during his opening keynote, Kushal Nahata, FarEye’s CEO and Co-Founder, said the European delivery ecosystem is at a decisive inflection point.

Shifting Priorities

Nahata (pictured, below) laid out the results of FarEye’s annual report, which surveyed logistics leaders across the continent. The data reveals that 98% of logistics leaders rank cost as their number one challenge heading into 2025 and that the top three concerns – rising costs, elevated customer expectations, and the race to invest in AI-enabled solutions – are reshaping strategies and budgets alike.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Switzerland leads in average last mile cost increases (38%), followed by France (21.5%) and the UK (17.8%). More stable cost environments such as the Netherlands and Greece offer valuable lessons in efficiency. But across the board, labour remains the primary cost driver, far outpacing technology or fuel.

Despite all the talk of innovation, many firms still rely on legacy systems and manual operations, particularly in Western Europe.

What’s clear is that cost is not just a financial concern but a strategic lens through which every delivery decision is now made. As Nahata put it: “We need to stop treating the last mile as the last thought.”

Smarter Strategies

The good news is that the industry isn’t standing still. According to the keynote, firms are turning to AI agents and advanced routing systems to claw back profitability and operational control. FarEye’s own data shows that AI-driven systems can reduce costs by up to 30% in dense urban areas, while hybrid fleet models and dynamic routing can offer savings of between 12 and 18%.

We’re also seeing a growing reliance on lockers and pickup points as businesses look to balance consumer convenience with cost-efficiency. This was also reflected in the levels of audience interaction about this topic. That said, the promise of lockers remains contingent on scale. As explored in the first of several panel sessions during the day, “Cracking the Profitability Code,” pilot programmes won’t justify infrastructure investment unless adoption accelerates quickly and broadly.

Another encouraging shift is the rise of premium delivery as a viable revenue stream. FarEye’s research shows 54% of customers are willing to pay extra for faster delivery, suggesting that not every consumer is cost averse as long as the value is clearly communicated.

Delivery Experience

The “From Checkout to Doorstep” panel showed that the delivery experience starts earlier than ever, often from the product page itself. High delivery fees remain the biggest cause of cart abandonment, and accurate ETAs, real-time pricing, and flexible slot selection have become hygiene factors rather than differentiators.

Consumer expectations are evolving rapidly. While 51% of customers still prefer standard three- to seven-day delivery, a significant 34% opt for next-day, and 8% choose same-day delivery. Out-of-home options, including lockers and parcel shops, are growing in popularity, reflecting a shift in urban consumer behaviour.

Cost is so much more of a priority in many of today’s boardrooms than carbon reduction, yet customers are becoming less forgiving of poor experiences, especially in the post-purchase phase. The roundtable on “Crafting Seamless Post-Purchase Journeys” highlighted that 65% of logistics leaders identify data gaps as a barrier to improving the post-purchase experience, with metrics like OTIF, NPS, and first-attempt delivery now mission-critical.

AI Escapes the Hype

Artificial Intelligence was perhaps the most talked-about and polarising topic of the day. From panel discussions to informal conversations, it was clear that AI is finally moving from hype to hands-on in the last mile.

The deep dive session “AI in the Last Mile: From Hype to Hands-On Impact”, hosted by me with experts from FarEye, Accenture and Microsoft, provided real-world examples of carriers using AI to automate over 70% of customer service interactions, with tools like Generative AI for comms, agentic AI for route re-planning, and digital twins for forecasting now part of serious pilot schemes.

FarEye’s study revealed that nearly half of all businesses are prioritising AI investments, and that 80% of delivery-related queries could now be handled by AI, leading to a potential 40% reduction in support costs. As one speaker put it: “AI won’t replace logistics professionals, but professionals using AI will replace those who don’t.”

Sustainability: Not Urgent

One of the more sobering findings of the day was that only 16.7% of businesses currently offer green delivery slots. That means that despite increasing consumer and regulatory pressure, a whopping 83.3% of firms still don’t offer a sustainable delivery option at checkout.

The deep-dive session on circular supply chains reminded us that sustainability needn’t be sidelined if it is integrated intelligently. Featuring examples from Philips and Danish delivery company DANX Carousel, the session highlighted how reverse logistics, repair flows, and re-use models can turn the last mile into a circular engine, rather than a linear liability.

In Western Europe, precision and sustainability are beginning to take precedence over speed, but cultural and operational differences mean Eastern Europe still favours rapid delivery over greener models.

Every Mile Is Now the Last Mile

The conference’s underlying thesis – and one of its most powerful insights – is that the last mile is no longer just the final leg of a journey, but the focal point of the entire logistics experience. From front-end checkout triggers to post-purchase sentiment, from AI-enhanced routing to circular supply loops, every part of the value chain is being pulled into the last mile orbit. And while cost pressures continue to dominate, the most forward-looking companies are leveraging this constraint as a catalyst for innovation.

Whether it’s through modular delivery networks, data-enabled decisioning, or customer-first design, I came away from this enlightening conference believing that the next era of the last mile will be defined by three key capabilities: flexibility, intelligence and integration. And thanks to platforms like FarEye’s, we not only have a clear view of what that road looks like, we also know the tools and strategies we need to deploy to successfully negotiate it.

From compliance to competitive edge, how can supply chain pressure drive decarbonisation? Jack Goodson (pictured, below), Senior Business Development Manager of Equity Energies, answers a key question.

When it comes to decarbonisation, for many in transport and logistics the convergence of regulation and customer expectations can feel like yet another operational headache, with the conversation often framed in terms of cost and complexity. But there is another way to look at it: as a catalyst for innovation and long-term competitiveness.

In today’s market, delivering at greater speed but at lower cost is no longer enough. Clients and supply chain partners increasingly expect operators to deliver cleaner too. Sustainability has shifted from being a ‘nice-to-have’ to a non-negotiable when winning and retaining contracts. That shift, driven by both regulation and the demands of downstream customers, is already reshaping the competitive landscape, and for those ready to adapt, it’s also opening the door to new opportunities.

Regulation and customer demand are aligned

The demand to reduce supply chain emissions is coming from two directions: top-down through government regulation, and bottom-up through supply chain pressure. Large UK companies are now required to disclose relevant Scope 3 emissions, the indirect emissions that occur in their value chains. That means the carbon footprint of a transport service provider is increasingly visible in the environmental performance of its customers. In addition, regulation requires suppliers on large public contracts to commit to Net Zero by 2050, while also presenting credible carbon reduction plans.

In parallel, major private sector buyers, everyone from retailers to manufacturers, are building sustainability criteria into their tenders, and in some cases deselecting suppliers who don’t align with their own Net Zero commitments.

However, rather than viewing this as a compliance burden, operators should treat these pressures as market signals. The demand for decarbonisation is real and growing, and the companies that can demonstrate credible progress will be first in line for the next wave of contracts. Indeed, as previously reported, every element of the supply and logistics chain is ultimately up for inspection.

A strategic, systems-led approach

The key is to avoid scattergun initiatives and piecemeal action. Isolated initiatives, like switching to a few electric vehicles or installing LED lighting in one estate location, can help, but to gain real traction, organisations need a systems-led approach that addresses multiple points of carbon impact and builds towards long-term targets.

That starts with understanding the baseline. Accurate data on current energy use, fuel consumption, and emissions across fleet and facilities, makes it possible to prioritise effectively. Once the baseline is set, companies can identify and act on the ‘low-hanging fruit’ first; measures that deliver quick wins from both a cost and carbon perspective. This might include reducing energy consumption across warehouses and depots, procuring better energy contracts, and switching to renewable electricity through green tariffs.

DPD made significant progress on its own Net Zero pathway through its warehouse estate, rapidly opening 16 new depots in just six months at the height of the pandemic. Working together, we future-proofed its sites for electric fleet integration, secured competitive energy contracts, and identified over £1.2 million in potential savings through energy capacity analysis. This not only enabled DPD to meet a surge in demand but also laid the groundwork for long-term carbon reduction, proving that operational growth and decarbonisation can go hand in hand.

All these efforts can further cut emissions while freeing up funds. The savings generated can then be channelled into the more capital-intensive parts of the transition, such as fleet electrification or investment in hydrogen-ready HGVs. Supplementary measures, such as advanced lubricants designed to improve EV efficiency and reduce maintenance requirements, can help maximise the return on these larger investments.

Innovation in fleet and facilities

Fleet decarbonisation remains a headline issue for the sector. While electric and hydrogen trucks are still in the early stages of adoption in the UK, targeted trials can identify where they fit best into operations; for example, shorter regional routes that can be reliably serviced by current EV ranges. Interim solutions such as biomethane or hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) can cut lifecycle emissions by up to 90% compared to diesel, offering a credible bridge technology while zero-emission fleets scale (source: Zemo Partnership).

At the same time, greener facilities are becoming a competitive advantage. Energy-efficient lighting, improved HVAC controls, automation, and on-site renewable generation not only reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions but also lower operating costs. With customers increasingly looking for full supply chain visibility, being able to report improvements in facility emissions can strengthen your position in tenders.

In a market where environmental credentials are scrutinised as closely as delivery times, data is perhaps the most powerful differentiator. Tracking emissions per tonne-kilometre, fuel efficiency, and energy use, and being able to present that information clearly, allows operators to demonstrate progress, benchmark performance, and collaborate with customers on joint improvement plans.

Real-time monitoring can also identify inefficiencies, from under-utilised vehicles to energy waste in depots, enabling operators to make operational changes that deliver immediate savings. In competitive bids, the ability to provide accurate, verifiable environmental data can be the deciding factor.

Balancing cost and carbon

There’s no avoiding the fact that decarbonisation requires investment. The challenge is to integrate it into a sustainable commercial model. Grants such as the UK Plug-in Truck Grant can help offset upfront costs for zero-emission vehicles, and green finance options are expanding, offering preferential rates for low-carbon projects. In some cases, customers themselves may be willing to co-fund pilots or infrastructure if it helps them meet their own Scope 3 targets.

By sequencing investments; tackling efficiency and energy procurement first, then scaling into fleet transition, operators can spread costs over time while maintaining service competitiveness.

The direction of travel is clear: sustainability performance is becoming a prerequisite for participation in high-value supply chains. Taking action now will build a track record that not only meets regulatory requirements but also strengthens position as a preferred partner for environmentally conscious customers. Delaying progress risks being locked out of tenders, paying more for finance and insurance, and facing a steeper, more expensive transition later on.

By reframing decarbonisation as an opportunity rather than a burden, and by taking a strategic, data-driven approach, transport and logistics companies can use current market pressures as the push they need to innovate. The winners in this transition will be those who view supply chain demand for sustainability not as a box to tick, but as a catalyst for long-term resilience and competitive strength.