I attended the recent meeting of Hive Connect, The Hive Logistics networking event, held at Belstead Hall, Church Lane, Belstead. As always, the event brought together key players from warehousing, ports, trade analysis and regional business support for a practical and insight-rich morning. Below is a summary of each of the main presentations.
Sustainability and Skills in Warehousing – Clare Bottle, Chief Executive of UK Warehousing Association
Clare Bottle presented on the significant untapped potential of warehouse rooftops for solar generation and how this aligns with cost reduction, carbon emission reduction and energy security. Her message emphasised that warehouses can drive sustainability by deploying rooftop solar and by investing in workforce professionalisation through qualifications such as the Warehouse Manager CPC. These twin themes of green infrastructure and skills development will impact haulage, storage and warehousing firms alike. For more on Clare’s background see her LinkedIn profile here.
Port Strategy Insights
Port Strategy and Supply Chain Efficiency – Port of Liverpool / Peel Ports Group
A very strong and powerful presentation from the Port of Liverpool team Emma Snell put the case for diverting more container traffic to the UK’s west coast port infrastructure. With the majority of UK import cargo still arriving via southern ports but destined for regions north of Birmingham, the argument was made that routing through Liverpool reduces road miles, tightens supply chains and improves resilience. Several case studies illustrated savings in transport cost, reduction in demurrage and alternative port use to mitigate risk. The key takeaway was that logistics firms should assess port pairings with the same rigour as haulage routes
Global Trade Dynamics
Global Container Trade Insights – Container Trade Insights
This briefing from the Load Star offered a detailed view of current and emerging trends in containerised shipping, covering volume dynamics, contract versus spot rate pressures, and route remodelling such as Suez versus Cape. The message was data heavy and directly relevant to freight forwarders, carriers and hauliers: model scenarios, build flexibility and factor in volatility into your cost base. For anyone in the logistics industry, this kind of macro view is useful when negotiating contracts, planning capacity and managing risk.
Business Networking
Regional Business Support and Skills – Suffolk Chamber of Commerce
Finally, the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce addressed how local firms in the region, including haulage, warehousing and ancillary services, can access skills development, export trade support and regional advocacy. Their work through the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) and international trade compliance (including CBAM) was especially relevant for logistics operations expanding or upgrading. For local businesses, joining networks and leveraging regional level support remains a smart move.
The Role of Women in Business Today
My Contribution: A Comment on Women in Business
During the Q&A I stood up and made a point about the role of women in logistics and supply chain functions. I noted that while we increasingly see more female leaders in warehousing, ports and trade intelligence and this is do great to see. Both Emma and Clare made such great impressions on all of us.
Overall, the Hive Logistics networking event achieved exactly what it sets out to do: bring together industry stakeholders who collaborate, learn and inspire. According to the Hive Connect website, the platform “provides an inclusive environment for business networking within the logistics industry, so that members can collaborate, learn and inspire.” (hiveconnect.me) Thank you to the organisers for once again running a high quality event, and thank you to James for the closing festive greeting and for keeping the tone upbeat and forward looking.