A decade of collaboration.
Think back to 2014…
Everyone was feeling happy thanks to Pharrell Williams’ unavoidable smash hit, Malala Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Lionel Messi became the UEFA Champions League all-time top scorer, the first ever Hunger Games film came out – but most importantly, Baxter Freight was created!
From small beginnings, to where we are now, the purpose of Baxter Freight has been the same throughout – to provide the best solutions to our customers.
Now in our 10th year, we thought we’d share the insights of those that have been with us for the entirety – and who better to start with than our founder, Ian and Managing Director, Peter!
What was at the forefront when developing Baxter Freight?
I – Having worked in the logistics industry for most my life, I knew what I wanted to focus on when creating Baxter Freight, and that was to focus entirely on our customers needs, and proactively develop how we serve them. We understand that our customers’ needs are not just local, but global. So in order to provide them with the best possible solutions, we decided to be non-asset based, as this offers maximum flexibility.
P – Yes, I’d agree with Ian about being non-asset based, as it’s the ultimate evolution of freight. As a whole, logistics is an industry built on collaboration not competition, so by collaborating with different partners, we’re able to offer a better service.
I – We might be non-asset based, but our biggest asset of all is our knowledge and adding value to supply chains!
How important are relationships within logistics?
P – Logistics is all about collaboration! You need to have strong partnerships and relationships, to be able to provide high quality service and innovative solutions to customers.
I – Exactly that! We’re a global business, and we have the capability to move any goods to any place, and that is largely contributed to all the long-standing relationships we’ve built along the way, and continue to do so every day. I have to say that keeping agile with all rapid global changes gives me the greatest kick!
What are your standout moments since the creation of Baxter Freight?
I – For me, it has to be the way our team dealt with Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. Both of these things were such difficult times to navigate for so many, but we managed to turn a negative into a positive. I’m really proud that we were able to work through Covid without making any redundancies, or putting our employees on furlough. Then, during a global pandemic, Brexit was happening. It was announced we were leaving the EU on the 31st December, so not only did we have a short amount of time to prepare for huge legislative change, that change was happening during Christmas too! During these turbulent times, our resilience and values were tested a lot. I witnessed stand out performances from all of the team, who were able to turn chaos into order – in a word, they were extraordinary.
P – On that note, I’m enormously proud of the seamless transition we were able to offer our customers during Brexit. At the time, many of our customers didn’t know what was happening, and it was our priority to make their processes as simple as possible. Another standout moment is that within just 10 years, a freight-forwarding business in Nottingham became the UK Sales Partner of DHL, and since then our relationship has gone from strength to strength.
What changes have you seen to the logistics industry in the last 10 years?
I – The world is always changing, and no industry notices that more than logistics. Supply chains are becoming more complex, but it’s our task to simplify them. I think it’s fair to say that there are too many trucks on the road right now, and it’s our aim to improve utilisation for sustainability and productivity. This is something I recognised whilst developing Baxter Freight 10 years ago, and is one of the biggest reasons we work through a non-asset model.
How has Baxter Freight evolved?
I – I’m so proud of the values that we’ve developed over the last 10 years, as they’re truly a testament of what we stand for and what we believe. Our values act as both a reflection of who we are and a reminder to always live by them. Since the creation of Baxter Freight, I’ve also witnessed our team grow and evolve. I’m really proud that so many people have been with us from the very beginning, and they’ve felt empowered to take the job and run with it and make it their own.
What are some of the craziest things we’ve helped move in the last 10 years?
P – Well there’s been so many it’s hard to remember! Although, moving a delivery for Air Force One for President Obama is definitely up there. As a freight forwarder you constantly need to be imaginative, and without assets we’re free to use our imagination all the time – so anything we put our hand to, there’s always an injection of creativity.
Where do you see the future of Baxter Freight?
I – The pace of change is always accelerating, and I have full faith that we’ll be able to get ahead of any changes that come our way. Technology is one of our top priorities to improve efficiencies in everything we do, and to help us navigate new solutions to topics like climate change. Our values have been designed to encompass everything we do, so I know that even in the next 10 years, we’ll always be creative, authentic, own it and be better together.
P – Supply chains are not just physical, but also cultural. At Baxter Freight, our service includes going above the terms and conditions, and that will remain in the future. I also see our future in ensuring continuity of collaboration and working with businesses that align with our culture and values. From the get-go we’ve invested so much into departments like IT and Marketing, and from them we’ve been getting invaluable insights which we’re able to help create solutions and advice for our customers, partners and suppliers, and within the future, I see this growing even more.
If you could swap roles with anyone in Baxter Freight for 24 hours, who would it be?
P – Being Managing Director, the job I’m doing is always evolving and I’ve got to be there to help everyone, so I’d swap roles with anyone! If someone needs help with a task, or even if the coffee machine needs fixing, I’ll get involved and do my part.
I – I’m really loving all the stuff that our Learning & Development Manager, Charlie is doing recently. Growing our team’s skillset is something which I believe is massively important, so I’d like to try that out for a day!
With you for all your logistical needs
Within just 10 years Baxter Freight has grown from working out of Ian’s home, to a modern office in Nottingham with over 140 staff!
We’ve been able to develop relationships with our customers, suppliers, agents, hauliers, and most importantly, each other.
The partnerships we’ve grown along the way have helped shape the way we operate and the solutions we’re able to offer.
To everyone who has been on our journey so far – thank you! Here’s to the next 10 years of providing innovative solutions with the highest level of service.
We’re here to support you with any logistical requirements you have – from customs to sustainability and everything in between.
Click below to find out how we can make your supply chain your competitive advantage!
