Advanced can unlock the door to China for business

The Chinese delta has 130m people who might want to buy your goods, provided you know how to reach them.

Mike Danby, the chief executive of Bradford-based Advanced Supply Chain, could be able to help Yorkshire firms unlock this market.

As a “one-stop supply chain shop”, his company already provides distribution and freight forwarding services for industry heavyweights such as Matalan, Asda, Makro and DFS.

Yesterday, it was revealed that Advanced Supply Chain plans to begin freight forwarding operations to and from a giant new warehouse in China.

It is a move which could open up the country to British businesses who want to expand into the world’s fastest-growing economy.

Advanced Supply Chain plans to start import and export services at the 1.2m sq ft Pinhu Logistics Centre in Shenzhen, South China, in the first half of 2014.

Based in the north of Shenzhen, the new state-of-the-art warehouse provides British businesses with access to manufacturers in China. It also offers transport links to Chinese sea ports such as Yantian, Shekou, Chiwan, as well as Huanggang Port where cross-border trucks connect to Hong Kong.

It provides a launching pad for European exporters who want to target the Pearl River delta area, which is the most densely populated area in China.

The warehouse, which is to be run by China’s largest logistics company, Sinotrans, also offers round-the-clock cargo receiving operations, warehousing services, and tax compensation for export cargo. Deferred tax services are also available for import cargo.

Mr Danby said yesterday: “As home to an estimated 1.35bn people, China has amazing potential for economic growth and has to rank as one of the most prized import and export markets for British businesses.

“The Pinhu Logistics Centre is not only large; it is a cutting-edge warehouse facility in a brilliant geographic location.

“In 2011 we formed a partnership with Sinotrans to offer UK customers end-to-end logistics for the movement of goods to and from Asia and we are excited to be strengthening that relationship with this new warehouse, as well as being accredited as an overseas sales agent for Sinotrans.”

Jacky Zhou, the general manager, Pearl River Delta at Sinotrans Guandong, said: “Advanced Supply Chain has consistently proven to be a natural partner for us by offering a full range of logistic services.”

Advanced Supply Chain provides pre-retail, distribution or freight forwarding services for many of the UK’s major brands. Government-owned Sinotrans employs more than 100,000 staff and has 100 distribution centres across China, with road, rail and river connections covering all of inland China and the Far East.

Last year, Advanced Supply Chain created around 150 jobs by opening a new operations centre in Birstall, West Yorkshire.

In February last year, Advanced Supply Chain opened the 200,000 sq ft facility to meet increased demand from its clothing manufacturing and freight forwarding customers.

The facility was established to run alongside the business’s main pre-retail site in Holmfield, Halifax, after Advanced Supply Chain gained extra work from its ties with Sinotrans.

Today, Advanced Supply Chain employs around 600 staff after a period of dramatic growth.

According to Mr Danby, this expansion has been driven by a willingness to put hard cash into training staff and improving the IT system. In an interview with the Yorkshire Post in November 2011, Mr Danby confirmed that the firm’s turnover was expected to rise from £25m to £35m over the next financial year.

Yesterday, he confirmed that the company’s profits and turnover were up again this year.

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