Global Logistics Company Saves Eight Jobs in Suffolk Town

A Suffolk-headquartered international logistics company has saved the jobs of a number of skilled employees recently made redundant due to the closure of an export packing operation in Ipswich.

Hemisphere Freight Services (HFS) has worked quickly to find a new operational home for the export packing team on Ipswich Port’s West Bank Terminal. The new facility became fully operational on Monday 11^th March, and according to HFS’ Owner and Managing Director Andy Perrin, it was only possible “thanks to the flexibility and co-operation of Associated British Ports (ABP)”.

In addition to taking on eight employees, HFS also purchased all the necessary tooling and equipment to set up the new export packing service. As a result, the company has still been able to meet client order deadlines for bespoke heat-treated and certified wooden packaging, which is used predominantly for the protection of highly-sensitive and valuable machinery destined for various export markets around the world.

This new service enhances HFS’ capabilities to offer “in house” solutions for case making and export packing, complementing its international and domestic logistics services.

“This was the perfect opportunity to add to our growing logistics business, but just as importantly, it allowed us to offer continued employment to a truly brilliant team of local, skilled workers who deliver a specialised service that is rare across the UK,” said Andy Perrin, Owner and Managing Director of HFS. “In fact, we believe HFS may be the only bespoke export case-makers in Suffolk, which is significant when you consider our proximity to both Ipswich and Felixstowe Ports.”

Andy added: “None of what we have achieved over the past couple of weeks would have been possible without the hard work and dedication not only of the new team members, but also existing members of the Hemisphere team. It is also important to mention the support of existing and new suppliers who have rallied to provide their support. We have collectively pulled off a miracle in getting ourselves set up in such a short space of time and, most importantly, without any disruption to service.”

Once HFS has established its export packing service, it plans to launch an apprenticeship scheme to help train the next generation of export case-makers. This will complement the International Logistics apprenticeship scheme it launched last year, and which helped the company win the Staff Development Award at the BIFA Freight Service Awards 2018.

For more information on HFS, visit their website or get in touch.

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Right to left:

Tom Green, Marcin Sawzchuk, Garry Howe, Mark Foster, Aubrey Williams & Dumitru Buduleci.