M6toll delivers for Menzies

As one of the UK's major logistics providers, Menzies Distribution specialises in providing contract logistics, warehousing, distribution, systems integration and added value services to a wide range of customers and long-term partners.

Menzies Distribution operates from more than 100 UK and Ireland sites, distributing over 30 million units across its network every week, to more than 30,000 locations each day. The units carried by their 4,200 vehicle assets include newspapers and magazines, retail stock, healthcare consumables and parcel delivery services.

Lee Anderson, Menzies Distribution’s Transport and Assets Manager, discusses how the M6toll plays a vital role in helping Menzies Distribution perform the ‘nightly miracle’ - their live newspaper delivery operation. This ensures everyone gets the opportunity to “read all about it”, every day of the week, as well as for other time critical supplies in sectors, including retail, food and healthcare.

The key to performing the ‘nightly miracle’ is efficiency. In order to ensure that Menzies Distribution is not the one making the headlines, their highly time critical live news operation depends on a smooth, hassle-free run, uninterrupted by traffic hold-ups or delays.

Lee said: “For Menzies, there is probably no more a time critical product than newspapers. It’s what makes our live news delivery operation so challenging and why calling it the ‘nightly miracle’ is so apt.

“The live news operation sees Menzies collect freshly printed newspapers from various print sites across the UK, before moving them to a newspaper wholesaler for delivery into individual retailers. It is highly time critical and there is a small window from leaving the printer to newstrade products being needed in stores.

The whole process must be a well-oiled machine and the M6toll plays a vital part in achieving that.”

With the live news operation, Menzies cannot afford to be stuck in traffic or suffer any delays in the process and the same is true for other time critical products they deliver every day across the UK. The Menzies distribution operation covers an array of products including packaging, stock, parcels, food and ingredients, right through to critical medical supplies.

As well as the time efficiency achieved, another compelling reason for Menzies Distribution using the M6toll is the contribution the road makes towards their net zero ambitions.

Sustainability is hard wired into the Menzies operation and is one of the core brand pillars of the Menzies business ethos. The goal is to make every aspect of its business sustainable and the M6toll plays its part in helping Menzies to realise the plan to be net zero by 2035 – 15 years ahead of the target set in UK legislation.

Menzies uses intelligent routing software and precision route management to minimise mileage and environmental impacts. The M6toll has given an important route option to reduce fuel use and improve efficiency.

The smooth road surface and seamless, end to end journeys aided by the new ANPR system also helps to reduce harsh braking and stop and start driving, creating less wear and tear on tyres and improving fuel efficiency. When added together, these benefits make a significant contribution in helping reduce CO2 emissions across the vehicle fleet.

With such a large fleet and time efficiency so vital to its operations, the support Menzies Distribution receives from the M6toll team in ensuring everything goes to plan is another valuable benefit to the business.

Menzies runs a far-reaching and fluid fleet. Vehicles using the toll can change on a regular basis and the close working relationship with the team at M6toll ensures that the account runs smoothly and accurately.

Menzies receives detailed weekly reporting, itemising of all charges (recorded date, time and vehicle registration) and the M6toll team has all the fleet details to reduce invoice queries or resolve anomalies. This level of support makes a significant difference to operations and enables a smoother running, more time efficient fleet.

For Menzies Distribution, the M6toll offers many considerable benefits, with time efficiency, sustainability and effective route planning the key drivers for using the M6toll road.

Lee adds:

“It also reduces idling time on the road, which again helps cut down on emissions and reduce our carbon footprint. Our drivers love the time savings the M6toll provides. Overall, the M6toll is of huge benefit to our business as it enables us to deliver on our unique capabilities and the time critical promises we make to our customers across all the markets we serve.”