The Northern Irish logistics sector needs to address a critical skills shortage to remain competitive, says Skills for Logistics, the Sector Skills Council for the UK logistics industry.

The European Commission is to develop a freight strategy for Europe and is promising an action plan by 2007.

Christian Salvesen has appointed Malcolm Wilson managing director of its Dedicated Logistics service in the UK with responsibility for many of Salvesen’s largest contracts, such as Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Rockware Glass, B&Q and Weight Watchers.

Dematic Management, along with investment group Triton, have taken over the shares in the worldwide Dematic business from Siemens AG.

Woodward Foodservice has won a three-year contract worth £12m to supply fresh, frozen, chilled and ambient food to all 230 Little Chef outlets across the UK.

Northern Foods is to sell off its distribution arm, NFT Distribution, as part of a major restructuring which will see it disposing of businesses that represent 40 per cent of group revenue.

Kwik Save has awarded the UK warehouse and distribution contract for its ambient and frozen goods to TDG in a deal worth more than £9 million a year.

Following a long period of stagnation, industrial rents across the North West are increasing. That’s the conclusion of property adviser DTZ.

It’s a tough job but someone has to do it – deliver goods in our major cities with the traffic jams and waiting restriction at the delivery point. Malory Davies looks at the measures that can be taken to make life a bit easier in the urban jungle.

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