Logistics UK report examines COVID-19 impact on industry
Thursday 07 January 2021
The logistics industry stepped up to deliver for the nation in 2020, despite facing a worsening shortage of HGV drivers, economic and financial hardship, and significant disruption to operations, according to Logistics UK. The business group today (07 January 2021) launches its COVID-19 Logistics Report 1, which provides a detailed overview on how the pandemic has affected logistics businesses and the steps they have taken to overcome these challenges.
“Despite facing significant operational and financial disruption since March 2020, the logistics industry has stepped up to ensure it continues to supply the nation with the goods it needs, including food supplies and PPE,” says Elizabeth de Jong, the organisation’s Director of Policy. “The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted how critical our industry and its people are to the success of the economy; Logistics UK is proud of the way in which its member businesses, and the wider industry, have worked together to service the needs of the nation during this critical time.
“To deal with the COVID-19 crisis, logistics businesses managed risk by scaling back operations, taking work back in-house and reducing their reliance on third-party services; many also focused activity on their core fleet of vehicles to save costs.”
In the early stages of the COVID-19 restrictions in March 2020, 85% of respondents to Logistics UK’s COVID-19 surveys reported a general business downturn, with work and orders cancelled. This reduced to 60% by the end of May, with supply chain disruption since easing further. The report also highlights that delivery times have improved due to less congestion as a result of fewer cars on the road compared with normal levels.
The report brings together national statistics and analysis conducted specifically for Logistics UK, in addition to exclusive data from surveys conducted with the group’s members in the first ten weeks of lockdown, and its monthly Logistics Performance Tracker surveys.
Logistics UK members can view the report here: https://logistics.org.uk/covid19-report
Logistics UK (formerly FTA) is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.
