Cannon Group, one of the UK’s leading logistics providers, has announced the launch of a new range of pay as you go warehousing solutions.

The company is offering the service across two of its existing warehouses; the first based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire and the second based in Knottingley, West Yorkshire. This allows it to provide full delivery options for companies with customers in the North, Midlands and the South with close links to Europe through Imingham.

Robert Ponting, Commercial Director explains, “Our business has been delivering logistics solutions to blue chip companies for more than a century. During that time, we have grown the business with high levels of service and built the infrastructure required to support it. As the services and the processes driving it have been so finely honed, it makes perfect business sense to offer “corporate” quality logistics and warehousing support to smaller businesses. Small and medium sized businesses often have the ability to grow quickly, but they also need to offer superb service to their customers in order to make it happen. In the past, they probably were left to deal with a small, local haulier, often lacking the infrastructure to cope with the disparate markets and unable to deal with the peaks and troughs in demand.”

The new pay as you go service allows companies to outsource some or all of their warehousing operation to Cannon. Goods are typically delivered direct to Cannon warehouses from the UK or Europe. Cannon then unpacks, checks and stores the goods, updating all stock records. Whether the customer sells goods on line, over the phone or face to face, Cannon processes orders through its web based IT systems, Cannon’s warehouse staff pick and pack the goods and ship direct to customers, anywhere in the UK or Europe. Customers are able to use Cannon’s web-based tools to report on sales, stock levels and even on line proof of delivery.

Because Cannon is part of a UK network with more than 5,000 delivery and collection vehicles, it can offer guaranteed next-day delivery for any palletised freight and can even offer special pricing models for half and quarter pallet deliveries.

Cannon only charges for the work it undertakes and does not tie customers in on long-term contracts. Ian Doye Financial Director at Cannon, explains Cannon’s strategy, “In simple terms, we did not want to create an attractive solution for smaller companies and then put hurdles in their way. They are fast growing and entrepreneurial businesses, so flexibility has to be built into their logistics operation from the ground up. We offer them the chance to change their warehousing to suit their business needs and totally avoids the costs associated with setting up a warehouse and recruiting and training staff to operate it.”

Test marketing has shown high demand for such a service, particularly from the small and medium sized mail-order companies and web-based sellers. Cannon will be pushing the new service in the trade press through 2005 and 2006.

Cannon is one of the UK's leading logistics providers, established at the turn of the last century. Cannon and its subsidiaries have grown by providing highly innovative and flexible bespoke solutions to blue chip clients from a range of industries.

Key services include; aftermarket parts management, contract packing and fulfillment, contract UK & European distribution, enterprise logistics management, express UK pallet deliveries and flexible warehousing solutions.

Cannon operates a fleet of over 100 core vehicles with access to a further 5000 partner vehicles in the UK and Europe. The business operates across six UK locations, with its head office in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Cannon employs over 275 staff and manages over a quarter of a million square feet of warehousing.