There are positive signs that European road freight services are gradually picking up as lockdown restrictions start to ease in the UK and Europe. Volumes are slowly increasing on our UK and European road freight, and more enquiries are coming in.
This is good news for customers of International Forwarding (IFL). As businesses reopen, and production and supply chains start to move again, this will help stabilise transport services which have been severely disrupted during widespread lockdown.
We remain fully operational 24-7 and here to help. If you require latest information on our any of our freight services or would like to get a quote, please get in contact or email us at enquiries@internationalforwarding.co.uk.
We’ve included a Covid-19 service update below for our international and domestic freight transport services (road, air and sea). As an independent freight forwarder, we’d like to thank you for your support, and to say that we are here to do our best for you in these difficult times.
European road freight
Throughout lockdown, our flagship Swiss service has been unaffected by the disruption with delivery times guaranteed. Swiss imports/exports have been running strongly all through the pandemic.
>> Check out guaranteed delivery times on our freight to Switzerland service.
Road freight to and from France and Italy took a hard hit from lockdown restrictions, although essential supplies were still getting through. In recent weeks, we have started to see a gradual increase in imports from Italy and France as lockdown has lifted. We expect European shipping to continue to increase, dependant on restrictions being lifted, and we are ready and able to assist with your freight needs. Please do get in contact for our latest schedules, however, as these are still prone to disruption.
>> Click to see our European road freight network coverage by country.
Export volumes are also starting to pick up on shipping freight to France from the UK. France is usually one of our most-requested destinations for road freight and groupage. Our French transport partner is a large global operator offering excellent coverage and service rates throughout the country, including hubs in Paris and Lyon. Through them, we can deliver onwards to all major cities and regions throughout France. Please get in contact for the latest trailer schedules.
>> Find out more about sending freight to France and cheaper shipping using our first-class groupage services.
UK road freight
IFL is operating 24 hours a day for palletised freight. We continue to be involved in transporting vital medical supplies and PPE kit to the NHS and other facilities around the UK. More recently, we have seen a rise in volumes of consumer goods, such as, sun creams, deodorants and garden products, due to the May heatwave.
>> Sector logistics – check out our new Industries page for the types of goods we specialise in transporting.
Enquiries are also picking up via our membership of the Palletways network, which collects and delivers across the UK and Europe, right down to our local postcodes across Birmingham and the West Midlands. As the number one UK pallet network, Palletways is still operating with guaranteed daily line hauls (out of the Fradley hub), outbound and inbound for Europe, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
>> Exporting or importing freight and based in the Midlands? Find out more about our Birmingham logistics.
Air freight
With fewer commercial flights running, and due to supply-demand pressures, air freight has been hard-hit and rates have increased accordingly. The severe drop in airline capacity to and from the UK means fluctuation for some time to come. Road freight may be the faster shipping option in many cases. Email enquiries@internationalforwarding.co.uk in the first instances and our sales team will advise on the best quote accordingly.
>> Click for more on air cargo services.
Sea freight
As with air cargo there are reduced shipping services worldwide. Capacity is likely to be an issue for some time with rates increasing. We advise booking well ahead to increase your lead times and allow for the squeeze. Please email enquiries@internationalforwarding.co.uk in the first instance and our sales team will work to find the best available quote.
>> Click for more on sea freight services.
Warehousing
Our increased warehouse operation has been very busy during lockdown with high volumes in storage ready for onward distribution. But we remain fully functional with staff following official health and safety procedures for social distancing and hygiene.
>> Read more about warehousing and cargo handling.
Health and safety
Health and safety remains first priority as more people start to return to work and new working practices. At IFL, our experienced workforce is working both remotely and in shifts to ensure our staff are safe and following the government guidelines. Palletways has also put in stringent safety measures to reduce the risk to drivers and warehouse staff.
>> Read more on our H&S approach during coronavirus and a message from our MD.
Bookings
We are here to help you get back to business. The best way to do this and get the latest information on freight rates and transport schedules is to get in touch with us. In a tight market, the sooner you can book your consignments in, the better, especially when time is the key factor. We’d be pleased to help with a quick quote, or discuss more complex needs.
>> Call us now on +44 (0)1675 434690 or email enquiries@internationalforwarding.co.uk
