Three significant awards in one weekend was the tally for a Cambridgeshire business that picked up honours at three different industry events across the UK. Welch’s Transport Ltd, a family run logistics and haulage company based in Duxford, were winners of three awards at the three events.
GREENFLEET AWARDS – British Motor Museum, Gaydon
Winner – Private Sector Commercial Fleet of the Year
Highly Commended – Private Sector Fleet Manager of the Year – Chris Welch, Director
LOGISTICS UK AWARDS – Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London
Winner – Rising Star of the Year – Jamie Sands, Operational Support Manager
Shortlisted – Logistics Leader of the Year
RENAULT TRUCKS UK DEALER NETWORK AWARDS – NEC Birmingham
Winner – Service Market Dealer of the Year – WTL Duxford
The awards add to other honours for the company achieved in 2023.
28th September
SME CAMBRIDGESHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS – Cambridge Country Club, Bourn
Winner – Business Innovation
Winner – Business of the Year more than 50 Employees
Shortlisted – Business Person of the Year, Chris Welch
1st December
SME NATIONAL BUSINESS AWARDS – Wembley Stadium, London
Shortlisted – Business Innovation
Shortlisted – Business of the Year (more than 50 Employees)
Welch’s Transport believe the awards recognise the efforts made by their team to raise standards, innovate, and embrace progress in recent years, particularly when it comes to sustainability.
Led by Chris Welch (fourth generation owner and director), he believes Welch’s Transport continues to push the boundaries of sustainable logistics.
This year, he said, the company has embraced cutting-edge technology with one of the country’s first 19-ton Battery Electric HGVs. The aim is to bring cleaner, greener logistics to organisations in the city and business parks around Cambridge, and to the UK.
The WTL Truck and Van centre won Service Dealer of the year 2023 at the Renault Truck Award. Welch’s praised Paul Sapsford and the team for impressing the judges by constantly hitting their KPIs – response times, audits, MOT pass rates, campaigns, and parts sales targets“This bold move not only reduces their carbon footprint but also demonstrates Welch’s Transport’s commitment to environmental innovation,” he said.
Mr Welch said the company also installed a 150-kW charger early in 2023, which holds the mantle of being the first publicly accessible HGV supercharger in the UK – a resource they share with fellow hauliers, clearly demonstrating their belief in the power of collaboration for a greener future.
But he is not resting on his laurels.
He says the company’s aim of streamlining deliveries into and out of Cambridge, has led to establishing an Urban Consolidation Centre (UCC) at their site.
“This facility will limit the need for so many logistics vehicles to enter the City,” he said.
“Items can be delivered to the UCC, sorted to create the most efficient routes, and then taken onwards using the cleaner, electric vehicles.”
Mr Welch said that as well as implementing the latest technology, the company has this year harnessed Artificial Intelligence to optimise all their vehicle routes across the UK, resulting in up to a 15% reduction in their fleet mileage – which represents a significant reduction in emissions.
And finally, he says, Welch’s Transport has expanded their ‘solar estate’ to 150 kW with a further 150 kW planned for next year and is now exploring wind generation and batteries to maximise its reliance on clean energy.
This will see the company achieve the status of being the first logistics company in the UK to have a fully Net Zero Battery Electric Vehicle operation.
Mr Welch said: “It would be easy to sit back and celebrate next year’s 90th anniversary with a degree of self-satisfaction. But the industry we’re in has its work cut out cleaning up its act.
“I am determined that Welch’s Transport lead the way by making our little bit of the world as good as it can be.
“I couldn’t be happier that the awards the team have won this year recognise the importance of our efforts and will show other businesses the value of using innovation to make progress that will ultimately benefit everyone.”
About Welch’s Transport Ltd
Welch’s Transport LTD is family owned and operated and has been providing supply chain solutions since 1934. The company specialises in General Haulage, Pallet Distribution across the UK and Europe, Dangerous Goods (ADR) Movements, Warehousing and eCommerce Fulfilment, Contract logistics and Amazon FC deliveries. Welch’s Transport is based in Duxford, Cambridgeshire.
