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Consumer and household goods giant JML awards £1.5 million contract to City Link

08/12/2011

The UK’s leading premium express delivery company City Link has landed a £1.5 million contract to handle all distribution needs of consumer and household goods giant JML.

City Link’s Newcastle depot is working closely with JML’s distribution centre in South Shields, handling all business to business and business to consumer deliveries for the company – one of the largest retailers in the UK.

The carrier is handling deliveries for the JML Retail arm of the business – which sees the delivery of JML goods to retailers across the UK and Ireland, such as Asda, Homebase and Debenhams. It is also handling deliveries for JML Direct - the business to consumer arm of the company. The majority of deliveries are handled through City Link’s Next Day service.

City Link was awarded the contract following extensive market research by JML which identified the carrier as having the business model best suited to meet its distribution requirements.

Sara Spink, Logistics Manager of JML, said the company had been delighted with the service so far. Regular communication between JML and City Link, coupled with the support of City Link’s customer services team and a dedicated email address for JML customers awaiting deliveries – jml@city-link.com – had helped ease any anticipated pressure on the company – particularly during the transitional period.

Sara also highlighted useful aspects of the market-leading new service My City Link, the innovative feature that gives real-time updates on the exact location of parcels from any computer anywhere in the world – an offering that sets City Link apart from its competitors, giving total transparency of the City Link system.

Sara said: “As part of My City Link there is a radar page giving you up to the minute information on the whereabouts of your consignment. As customers we also receive MailTrack email notifications which are particularly useful as this allows us to be more reactive to issues as and when they arise upon delivery of a consignment.”

An employee-owned business established more than 40 years ago, JML originally operated solely from the London area. The last two years saw the movement of all retail warehousing needs to Port of Tyne Authority in South Shields, where JML Direct has been operating from for the past 7 years. 

The success of JML’s unique products, TV advertising linking the screen to screen synergy (in home to in store),  sewed the seed for the development of the JML shopping channel and the company quickly expanded, selling its products through a range of retail giants such as Boots, Wilkinsons, Poundstretcher, Asda, Makro and Debenhams. JML also operate 4 Sky TV shopping channels and a vibrant website.

Today, as well as its UK success, JML exports to more than 70 countries worldwide, and also operates retail business in Benelux, USA, Central, Europe and Singapore, with recent expansions in to Hong Kong.

Duncan Faithfull, Sales and Marketing Director at City Link, said: “We at City Link are delighted to be working with JML in a partnership where we believe we can add real value to the business. As with all new and existing customers, our priority is ensuring we have a real understanding of their business so in turn we understand their needs and expectations of us, as their carrier of choice.”

Mr Faithfull said City Link had been negotiating the contract with JML for quite some time before the appointment was made.

He added: “We are delighted that JML has decided to enter straight into a contract with us, with no trial period beforehand. This is as a result of a series of meetings between JML and our IT and operations teams, so they now have a full understanding of the systems we have in place here at City Link.

“Regular communication with myself and the support from our dedicated customer services team since the contract began have also been huge selling points. Although still at an embryonic stage, our relationship with JML is fantastic and we look forward to working with the company for many years to come.”