NORTHAMPTONSHIRE is the heart of the UK, and logistics is right at the heart of the county’s industry and prosperity. Professional logistic analytics will calculate that Northampton is the absolute most efficient place for a logistics base for UK wide distribution – just ask BMW why they relocated their UK parts distribution centre from Bracknell to Swan Valley!
At Howes Percival we continue to act for many clients who are part of the local logistics sector. We work hard to understand the key drivers for success and what issues will be impacting logistics businesses in the future.
Recent highlights include working with Panther Warehousing over the last few years, culminating in us acting for the owners in their successful sale of the company in a management buy-out backed by Lloyds Development Capital and Santander. We also acted on the £125 million sale of Paragon Automotive to British Car Auctions, a company heavily involved in car transportation and storage.
Our involvement with logistics goes much broader than entrepreneurial businesses that grow and sell. We act for established businesses that obtain planning for and lease buildings for logistics, that have regulatory issues surrounding operational matters such as ‘O’ licences, hours of operation and tachometer problems. We act for clients engaging with a logistics partner, or waiting to outsource their logistics requirements. We advise on terms for contract hire, leasing and hire purchase of tractors and trailers. We advise on employment contracts and self-employed contracts for drivers. In particular, we are working with a number of clients on the likely impact to their business of upcoming legislative changes (for example the General Data Protection Regulations and the status of self-employed ‘worker’ drivers, and what rights they are entitled to).
In summary, as the leading corporate law firm in Northamptonshire, we have to be able to advise the logistics sector in its broadest sense: from developers of logistics buildings, to logistics companies to businesses that need a logistics partner. It is as important to us as it is to you!
For too long logistics has been seen as the poor relation in the local business sectors. Whilst rightly, the county celebrates its heritage in high performance engineering, we should also be celebrating our success in being the leading location for logistics and being at the forefront of its development.