HR Tech, News, Software News

Alight announces the global expansion of its proprietary platform, Alight Worklife®

The initial phase of this global expansion adds Alight’s payroll solution, creating a streamlined and unified end-to-end payroll experience to help employers manage the complexities of global payroll.

Alight, Inc. (NYSE: ALIT), a leading cloud-based human capital technology and services provider, today announces the global expansion of its proprietary employee experience platform, Alight Worklife, with the addition of its payroll solution. The Alight Worklife platform combines AI and data with robust content across many dimensions of employee wellbeing to create a personalised and integrated experience that drives better outcomes for individuals and organisations. This global expansion of the platform harmonises payroll and HR into a single, automated solution to help clients process, review, report and analyse payroll globally.

The solution brings Alight’s payroll expertise to clients, providing in-country payroll platforms that span over 180 countries and 25 languages into Alight’s leading cloud technology platform, providing a single, end-to-end digital experience that improves data visibility and control through actionable analytics. By simplifying the complexities of global payroll, the platform allows decision makers to optimise costs, uncover trends and make better informed decisions.

“Multinational companies face considerable complexity in managing global payroll and having a partner that can standardise and simplify across a comprehensive breadth of countries is indispensable,” said Cesar Jelvez, chief professional services and global payroll officer at Alight. “When you add Alight’s expertise in global payroll with our ability to integrate into a single platform that provides employers with data and analytics capabilities, we can truly help companies have a different experience that drives measurable outcomes.”

Alight Worklife delivers rich data and analytics that can be leveraged to optimise payroll processes in a cost-efficient manner. By channelling multiple sources of information into a single, dynamic platform, Alight Worklife puts information more readily in employers’ hands, enabling them to make more confident decisions.

“With the global expansion of Alight Worklife, Alight is uniquely positioned to provide end-to-end solutions across HCM and finance transformation, payroll, health, wealth and wellbeing that powers confident decisions and meaningful outcomes for more than 36 million people and dependents,” explained Jelvez.

To learn more about the Alight Worklife platform and the comprehensive product suite, visit Alight.com.

News, Property

Taylor Wimpey España launches 14 new developments in 2022, with 9 more planned for 2023

Leading Spanish home builder Taylor Wimpey España has reported growth in property reservations during 2022, after launching 14 new developments during the year, with a value of over €150 million. As the firm heads into 2023, when it will celebrate its 65th anniversary, having served buyers from around the globe with high quality holiday homes since 1958, it has another nine launches planned. The developments will span the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Mallorca.

But what lies behind the headlines? Buyers of 38 different nationalities purchased homes from Taylor Wimpey España during 2022. Many buyers choose to spend Christmas in Spain, immersing themselves in local traditions.

For second home owners with young children, the procession of the Three Kings on 5th January is a not-to-be-missed experience. The Three Kings and their helpers hand out sweets as they travel around town, while children who’ve been good open gifts that the Kings deliver the following day (this is the main gift-giving day in Spain). Children who have been naughty can expect a lump of coal!

One lovely tradition that second home owners can enjoy is the creation of a Belén in their home. This is a nativity scene made up from tiny figures, which can be purchased from Christmas markets and shops across Spain during the festive season. Schools and businesses often have a Belén of their own, with local families delighting in seeing the intricate scenes each year.

To kick off the Christmas season, many Spaniards take part in El Gordo (‘the fat one’) on 22nd December each year. Tickets cost an eye-watering €200 but can be purchased in tenths, meaning a family can take part for a much more reasonable €20, buying with friends and colleagues for a share in the 15,000 or so prizes on offer. The top prize, after which the lottery is named, will be €4,000,000 in 2022.

Visiting Christmas markets and enjoy the Christmas lights in towns and cities is another intrinsic part of the Christmas season. This year, for example, Malaga’s main Christmas shopping street will be home to 16 celestial angels, spread across 32 columns that create a stunning display along the entire length of the street. Malaga will also be hosting a drone display on several nights during December this year, providing a modern take on festive lighting fun.

For buyers looking to enjoy the Christmas lights in Malaga each year, Taylor Wimpey España’s lovely apartments and penthouses at Solemar are the ideal base. Located just 750m from Malaga’s Casares Beach and enjoying spectacular sea views, along with a large communal pool and landscaped gardens, the homes are priced from €262,000 plus VAT.

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director, Taylor Wimpey España, says:

“Owning your own home in Spain allows you to engage with Christmas far more deeply than you can when staying in a hotel. Having your own kitchen means you can join in Spanish Christmas food traditions, which form such an important part of the holiday season here.”

Christmas feasting in Spain involves a huge variety of delicious foods. Iberian ham and a selection of fabulous local cheeses and wines are all staple items, along with sweet treats such as turrón, mantecados biscuits, sugar-covered polvorones and brightly coloured marzipan sweets. The Christmas table, meanwhile, is laden with dishes such as broths and stews to start, followed by suckling pig, lamb or oven-baked sea bass or bream. Epiphany cake, eaten on 5th or 6th January, is also a must. Tradition has it that the person who finds a small figure in their slice will have good luck.

Chestnuts also feature in the Spanish Christmas season, with street vendors selling them hot in little paper cones. Perfect for a sweet treat while browsing Christmas market stalls. Grapes should also be on the shopping list; it’s tradition to eat one with every chime of the clock at midnight as New Year’s Eve becomes New Year’s Day, for good luck for the year ahead.

Buyers who want to pick up a key-ready home in Spain before New Year rolls around have plenty of options available to them, from marina-front living at Pier 2 in Sotogrande (priced at €445,000 plus VAT) to frontline ocean view apartments at Sunset Ibiza in Cala Gracio, Ibiza (€700,000 plus VAT).

Marc Pritchard, Sales and Marketing Director, Taylor Wimpey España, said:

“Many families are taking advantage of more relaxed working from home practices to enjoy longer, blended work/leisure stays in their second homes. The Christmas season is the perfect time to do so – and to experience the rich variety of Spanish festivities and feasting.”

For more information, please contact Taylor Wimpey España on 08000 121 020 or visit https://www.taylorwimpeyspain.com/. If you reside outside of the UK, you will need to call 00 34 971 706 972.

E-Commerce, News, Thought Leadership

Retail expert shares the top six eCommerce trends for 2023 and why businesses shouldn’t ignore them

There are over 60 million eCommerce users in the UK alone (Source: Statista), meaning the vast majority of UK residents now shop online. When a new generation of tech-savvy kids start shopping, the industry will only expand further, so it’s crucial that online retailers continue to innovate if they want to keep growing too.

James Khoury, eCommerce expert and CEO of fulfilment provider, Zendbox, has shared his predictions of the top eCommerce trends all online retailers should be leveraging in 2023.

1. Omnichannel Shopping

“It’s no longer enough to only have a website; online stores now need to make their goods accessible across a range of selling platforms. Consumers are channel surfing more than ever, often discovering brands on social media before they find their website. People are more price conscious too and will be looking to compare prices for your product, or similar ones, on search engines or comparison sites.”

“Make a list of the channels and platforms available to you and optimise each avenue. Now might even be the time to look into what will potentially be the next ‘super app’, TikTok (Source: VideoWeek), which is beginning to offer an all-in-one solution where consumers can shop and pay for products without ever leaving the app. As part of your omni channel approach, focus efforts on these types of apps in line with your website, social media accounts and, if applicable, your bricks and mortar store.”

2. Mobile First

“It’s predicted that by 2024, mobile sales will reach over £100 billion (Source: Statista), thanks in no small part to Gen Z and the rise of Gen Alpha. It’s more important than ever to adopt a mobile-first approach to retail sales and maximise every eCommerce opportunity.”

“It’s no coincidence that this upward trend in mobile sales aligns with the exponential growth of social commerce. TikTok has experienced the largest increase in the percentage of consumers willing to buy from social media (Source: JungleScout). People can discover your brand on social media and then buy from the comfort of their mobile phone. What’s more, optimising your social media platforms allows you to take advantage of user generated content (UCG), balancing out any additional marketing spend. Developing a mobile-first strategy should go hand in hand with social selling and will likely be essential in 2023.”

3. Green Commerce

“The word ‘sustainability’ won’t be going anywhere in 2023. In fact, more and more retailers will be looking to increase their green credentials. This means offering things like sustainable packaging, more eco-friendly shipping options and carbon offsetting.”

“Alongside green pledges, there may well be an influx of reCommerce sites or outlets. Online second-hand stores and rental services have gained popularity in recent years, and even charity shops now have an online presence. Some existing retailers allow customers to recycle old items in return for vouchers, and others have set up marketplaces as an offshoot, where they resell past season and pre-loved stock. This may well depend on the product itself but, in any case, a circular strategy is mission-critical for businesses that want to stay competitive in 2023.”

4. User Experience

“Consumers are more likely to convert or share data when they receive a personalised experience, with some 80% of frequent shoppers only shopping with companies that personalise the experience (Source: YouGov).”

“Putting the user at the forefront of your eCommerce efforts is paramount to success. Get to know your customers across all platforms, and use any information to create offers and upselling opportunities based on their specific behaviours.”

“Add to this an excellent customer service experience and a range of delivery and payment options. Fuss-free returns will also attract new customers and retain existing ones. With a host of software, plug-ins and analytics now available, there’s little excuse in 2023 to neglect the customer journey.”

5. Inflation

“Not so much a trend as a necessity. The economic downturn has made customers savvier than ever before. Purchases are carefully considered, and choosing which e-tailer to buy from may come down to which one has the most budget-conscious options.”

“Things like free delivery and free returns are very attractive right now. Having a BOPIS option, where users can buy online and pick up in store, can be a good middle ground to reduce overheads for you as a company and delivery charges for your customers. Offering a range of payment options will also help to assuage any buying-related anxiety – for example, buy now, pay later (BNPL) arrangements.”

6. Payments

“As well as offering BNPL, simply having a roster of payment options will encourage more shoppers in 2023. One of the biggest reasons shoppers abandon their cart is due to a difficult payment or checkout process. Digital and mobile wallets now account for around half of global eCommerce payment transactions (Source: Statista) and so implementing this is going to be vital.”

“PayPal now has 429 million users worldwide too (Source: GlobalData), making it hugely popular for eCommerce. There is still space for the traditional card payment but as above, offering payment methods that satisfy different user demographics sets eCommerce stores up to bring in more of the available market revenue.”

“Perhaps the biggest takeaway for eCommerce in 2023 is choice. Users now expect different payment options, flexible returns, sustainable choices and to be able to shop on various platforms. The worst thing any online retailer can do is stay stagnant. Moving with the times is a must.”

Business News, Finance and Banking, News

Research by alternative lender Capify finds quarterly improvement in SME business confidence despite gathering economic headwinds

UK SME confidence rebounds despite challenges ahead

Latest research by alternative lender Capify finds quarterly improvement in SME business confidence despite gathering economic headwinds

But survey also points to operating challenges amidst falling profitability and concerns over rising costs.

SME Business confidence has improved for the first time in over 12 months, a new survey from specialist finance provider Capify has found. Released today, the Q3 Business Confidence Survey revealed that SMEs were more bullish than in the previous quarter, despite the looming recession.

The Survey which canvassed the insights of 318 SME business owners on areas of business performance, outlook, and investment intentions, uses the data to produce an overall confidence score between -10 (very unconfident) and +20 (very confident). The confidence score now sits at 5.64, a 7-point increase on the Q2 2022 score of -2.70.

John Rozenbroek, CFO/CCO at Capify, said: “It is great to see an improvement in confidence from the UK’s vital SME community. It seems that businesses have started to respond well to the perception of more stability in markets and the government, although there remains a long way to go. Our last survey was conducted between August and September this year – a period of unprecedented political and economic upheaval – which clearly showed in the findings.”

“Over the years, smaller UK businesses have demonstrated their unique resilience and adaptability and our most recent findings underline stoicism in the face of adversity in trading conditions. These conditions may not yet have hit business as hard – or as quickly – as many feared and this, in part, helps explain the more optimistic outlook. But it also speaks to the ongoing characteristic of resilience – and that UK SMEs may now feel more aware and perhaps prepared for the challenges ahead, following the learnings resulting from the previous years”.

A boost to investments

A major contributor to the improved confidence scores, was the finding that many respondents were planning on increasing investment over the next 12 months. When asked about areas in which they intend to invest over the coming year, UK SMEs identified an average of 2.63 initiatives, compared to 1.41 in Q2 of this year. Perhaps reflecting the ongoing labour market challenges, 42% of firms intend to invest in training and the retention of staff, whilst 29% planned investments in marketing and customer acquisition.

Perhaps reflective of the growing importance of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations amongst customers and investors, 32% of respondents are planning on investing on green and sustainability initiatives – a 22pp increase on Q2 intentions.

The score was also boosted by 46% of respondents reporting turnover growth in the past 12 months – up 12% since the last survey. Correspondingly, the cash position for Britain’s SME has improved in the past three months. The average level of cash held in the bank has risen by nearly £8,000 since Q2, from £95,726 to £103,564. At the same time, the number of owners concerned by their cash position has fallen from 55% to 53%.

Challenges ahead

Despite these positive factors, there are still significant operating challenges blighting SME performance. Rising costs and inflation continue to cause sleepless nights for 61% of SME owners and price increases throughout the supply chain are impacting business performance, with 44 per cent of respondents reporting a reduction in profitability in the past 12 months, an increase of 4pp.

These challenges for the here and now are echoed in future projections, with turnover and headcount growth projections both lower than in previous surveys. The number of respondents expecting their turnover to grow in 2023 has fallen to 53%, an 8pp drop on the previous quarter. At the same time, those expecting to grow their headcount has fallen by 3pp to 36%.

Finding finance

Access to finance continues to be a major problem for SMEs. Alongside the rising cost of debt, there is a growing concern that bank lending criteria is preventing SMEs from accessing the finance they need. Nearly one in three respondents identified working capital and cash flow management as a reason for requiring external finance, but only 45% of respondents felt confident they would be able to secure that finance from their bank

“Finance availability is critical to UK SMEs” said Rozenbroek. “Whether it is needed for short-term management of cash flow or working capital, or for longer-term investment opportunities, the consequences of failing to fund SMEs are grave.”

“At Capify, we understand the uniquely challenging climate that SMEs are currently operating in but we also share the optimism of a better future. We will continue to be there to support SMEs with finance provision for both today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.”

For more details about Capify, visit: http://www.capify.co.uk

Charity & CSR, Midlands News, News

Sigma Connected donates £5,000 to help vulnerable people at Christmas

Business process outsourcing provider Sigma Connected has donated £5,000 worth of supermarket vouchers to 50 financially vulnerable people to help them cope with the expensive Christmas period.

Sigma, which offers ‘white label’ customer contact centre services across the energy, water, retail, financial services and telecommunications sectors, has given £100 vouchers to 50 people identified through its ground-breaking ReachOut initiative which supports customers who are struggling to manage their bills due to financial, mental health or other personal issues.

The company launched ReachOut in 2020 with the initiative gaining international recognition and winning countless awards over the past two years for how it has assisted and signposted vulnerable people to access the best possible support with a range of charities.

Gary Gilburd, CEO of Sigma Connected Group said: “I am proud that alongside our clients we are a business which is aware and acts on the big issues affecting people and communities.

“Our ReachOut initiative is part of that. It is unique as it allows our Pathfinder team to successfully engage with hundreds of people every week who are struggling to pay their bills. They are people we help to get back on track and therefore we asked the team to identify 50 people who they felt a £100 supermarket voucher would help.

“Christmas is a special time but more than anything, I hope it makes things that little bit easier for people we know have had a tough time coping personally, financially or mentally.”

Sigma Connected is headquartered in Birmingham. It offers contact centre services from its offices across the UK, South Africa and Australia.

Events, News

Registration opens for EMC and Compliance International

Secure your space at the UK’s leading trade show focused on electromagnetic compatibility and compliance now

Exhibitor registrations are now open for EMC and Compliance International, the UK’s leading trade show focused on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), which will return to Newbury Racecourse in Newbury, Berkshire, on May 16 and 17, 2023. The show is expected to attract the industry’s leading professionals and companies, with the majority of this year’s exhibitors already signed up for next year and a full speaker program soon to be confirmed. Register on the show’s website to ensure you secure your space.

EMC and Compliance International 2023 will bring together specialists from electronic, electrical engineering and design engineering backgrounds to meet new and existing customers face-to-face, forge connections and do business. This follows a successful return to being an in-person event in 2022, when the show provided a platform for exhibitors to share guidance on how to tackle EMC and all other compliance issues, including safety, radio equipment and system specification and testing.

One of the exhibitors at the 2022 show, Peter Davenport, field sales engineer at Lambda, commented during the show, “This is my first time at the show and the best thing about it was getting the chance to showcase our company, our products and hear from the industry and see what it is doing.

“We have had a lot of great opportunities and spoken to new customers that we would not have otherwise spoken to about how we can help them enhance what they can do as an offering to their customers. The number of leads that we have gotten is fantastic and the show has more than paid for itself.”

Another exhibitor, Cameron Finch, business development manager at HITEK, added, “For such a niche area in the industry it is very well attended. The leads we get from this are high quality and are likely to convert.”

The show will also see the return of its popular training workshops, which proved popular with exhibitors at past shows. Sessions will be delivered by some of the industry’s leading experts, including Keith Armstrong, Min Zhang and Andy Degraeve. The workshops will cover key topics such as circuit design and shielding for signal integrity, power integrity and EMC, EMC for traction converters, conducted emissions in the aerospace sector and many others.

EMC and Compliance International is the place to be for the UK’s EMC and compliance community and next year’s show is set to be the best yet. To enquire about exhibiting at the show, complete the form on https://www.emcandci.com/floorplan.

Logistics, Logistics Tech, News

Where’s Santa now?

 Omniflex takes a tongue in cheek look at how they’d keep Santa on course with remote monitoring 

Santa’s World ‘o’ meter estimates that the current global population stands at just over eight billion — this is approximately 526 million children celebrating Christmas, hoping to open presents on December 25. To ensure all children receive their Christmas presents on time, the logistics elves at Santa’s Workshop Inc. approached remote monitoring specialist Omniflex to monitor Santa’s journey around the globe and check the reliability of his sleigh in real-time.

For many years, Santa Claus has relied on manual methods, like basic map reading, to help him circumnavigate the world to deliver presents. Furthermore, Santa must carry out regular visual checks to ensure his sleigh doesn’t fall apart on his long journey. During his 2019 run, hundreds of thousands of children received their presents late, with families in the Scottish Highlands reporting his arrival as they were sitting down for Christmas dinner! Furthermore, manual methods were posing a safety risk for Santa, who almost crashed his reindeer into the Swiss Alps while reading his map.

“At times, it was chaos,” explained Santa Claus, founder and CEO of Santa’s Workshop Inc. “Children were receiving their packages late and my reindeer were getting fatigued from all the detours and sleigh check stops we were having to make. It’s not easy to assess the condition of your sleigh during blizzards — especially after all the sherry and mince pies!”

To streamline the process, Santa’s elves hatched a plan to integrate cloud-based remote monitoring onto the metal legs of the sleigh, so that GPS location and strain and pressure readings could be taken in real-time, 24/7. The data would be transmitted to radio Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) and monitored using the cloud-based data logging software, Data2Desktop. To provide the solution, they turned to Omniflex for help.

Remote monitoring of Santa’s sleigh provides several benefits. Firstly, cloud-based remote monitoring platforms provide a single, easy-to-access repository for all live and historical location data, allowing elves to track Santa’s journey and keep him on course. Secondly, all abnormal events can be reported directly via email or SMS to all relevant personnel without delay. For example, if the incorrect positioning of the presents in Santa’s sleigh causes excessive strain and pressure, Santa and his elves will immediately be notified. This ensures that the necessary repairs can be carried out before major damage is done.

What’s more, if Santa gets stuck in a chimney delaying his journey, the GPS monitoring will help the elves redirect him onto a faster route. Remote monitoring is also great for auditing purposes and will help Santa plan his journey better in future years.

“We’ve seen a huge difference in efficiency on Christmas Eve night since working with Omniflex,” explained Candice Kane, head elf at Santa’s workshop. “Through the IT elves monitoring his progress, Santa is kept on course and children across the world receive their presents on time.”

To ensure that your operations are running as efficiently as Santa’s sleigh, visit www.omniflex.com.

Business News, News

PEI-Genesis acquires trusted IP&E supplier Testco Inc.

~ Acquisition enhances ability to offer new products and services worldwide ~

PEI-Genesis has acquired California-based Testco Inc., a supplier of passive, electromechanical, and interconnect components with 40 years of customer excellence. It was announced on November 30, 2022, by Steven Fisher, President & CEO of PEI-Genesis. The purchase allows the company to better serve a broader range of customers’ needs for IP&E product solutions.

“We consider ourselves to be the industry’s Trusted Advisors focused on solving our customers’ interconnect problems,” says Fisher. “This acquisition enhances that capability, further encouraging our customers to partner with us for a broader range of products and services.”

Testco supplies passive, electromechanical, and interconnect components with superior technical expertise and broad product knowledge. Serving technology companies worldwide for over 40 years, Testco offers creative supply chain solutions to meet customer requirements. With flexible blanket orders, bonded inventory, consolidated shipments, and annual pricing programs, Testco can solve the most difficult supply challenges.

Both companies share common core values, integrating integrity, excellence, service, and commitment to customers into every decision. This partnership will continue to bring great quality products and highly professional service to all customers in the future.

“Being a part of the PEI-Genesis family allows Testco to have the additional resources needed to grow our capabilities and better support our supplier partners and customers,” says Jeff Meyer, President of Testco. “I and the Testco team are excited about this new partnership and opportunity.”

PEI-Genesis will operate Testco as a separate company, continuing to work with Testco as an authorized supplier partner. The Testco division will now be championed by Richard Watt, Vice President of North America Sales at PEI-Genesis. Testco’s, Jeff Meyer, will remain as President to help grow and integrate its operations into PEI-Genesis. PEI will continue to support the existing Testco distributors and rep network.

For more information on PEI-Genesis’ Testco offering, visit https://www.peigenesis.com/

Environment, Environment News, News

Scientific study validates field-based method of measuring oil contamination

~ Field-based non-dispersive infra-red spectroscopy instrument produces results that were previously only possible using lab-based techniques ~

A new scientific report by Concawe, which reviewed field-based and lab-based methods of analysing oil-contaminated soils, determined that the InfraCal 2 ATR-SP total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) analyser is an effective instrument for measuring oil contamination of soil and water. The review showed that the InfraCal 2 performs well for the detection and quantification of TPH between 100 and 10,000 mg kg-1, independent of soil type and fuel type. This allows operators to conduct in-depth sample analysis in the field, meaning they can accurately identify hydrocarbon levels without relying on outsourcing to commercial laboratories.

Historically, measuring oil contamination in soils was done using a combination of non-specific field-based screening tests and specific lab-based fingerprint studies, carried out off-site by a commercial laboratory partner using certified techniques. While the lab-based techniques, such as gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, provide in-depth data into hydrocarbon speciation and offer high accuracy and precision, they are generally expensive and time-consuming compared to on-site analysis. However, despite the drawbacks of lab-based techniques, they have been necessary, until now, because field-based techniques could not provide specific data on hydrocarbon speciation and, instead, only provided insight into hydrocarbon concentration hotspots.

Concawe’s report confirmed the InfraCal 2, which is a non-dispersive infra-red spectroscopy instrument, is a versatile, fast and easy-to-use instrument for conducting on-site analysis of oil contaminants. For example, it demonstrated how the InfraCal 2 can accurately perform TPH determination of hydrocarbons in five to ten minutes, significantly faster than lab-based GC-MS.

“Developing field-based instruments that compete with lab-based techniques for analysing oil-contaminated soils has been a major industry focus for some time,” explained Paul Vanden Branden, director and product manager at SciMed, the UK’s largest distributor of scientific instrumentation. “For an instrument to be highlighted in a scientific review for performing analysis to a standard that was previously only possible using lab-based techniques reassures businesses that modern field-based instruments are up to the job.

“Using the InfraCal 2 to conduct TPH analysis on site without outsourcing further analysis to commercial labs will save businesses time and money without sacrificing results. Furthermore, it will help companies lower their carbon footprints as it will cut down on sample transportation requirements and minimise the use of harmful chemicals,” concluded Vanden Branden.

To speak to one of SciMed’s team about how the Infracal can help you in your application, visit https://www.scimed.co.uk/.

Appointments, News

Shipping and fulfilment firm champions internal promotion with Head of Business Development hire

Gareth Thomas has been appointed as Head of Business Development at the global order fulfilment company Systemise Fulfilment.

Gareth was formerly Head of Operations at the firm’s warehouse in Brigg and has worked at the company for 4 years. In his new role, Gareth will lead the full suite of customer support, sales and marketing activity at Systemise Fulfilment. He brings with him a wealth of industry experience, having built his own successful business and warehouse.

Gareth Thomas, commenting on his promotion, explained: “After launching and growing the Brigg warehouse successfully over the past 4 years, with the support of Kevin and Kylie – I was ready for a new challenge where I can help the wider business to grow too – so taking on this role seemed like the natural next step in my career. I’m happy to say the Brigg warehouse has also been left in the capable hands of Rachel Dunn.”

Keen to nurture a great workplace culture for employees, Kevin Blackburn and Kylie Thomas, the co-directors of Systemise Fulfilment, are prioritising internal promotions and ensuring that employees have a pathway to grow and develop in their roles.

The company has recently introduced a new reward and recognition programme for employees called the ‘Systemise Fulfilment Blueprint’ – to clearly state their commitment to employees. The programme aims to recognise employees for their achievements, provide tailored progression routes and offer extensive employee benefits, including discounted products and an employee profit-sharing scheme.

Systemise Fulfilment also recently appointed Nikki Thomas as Head of Global Human Resources, promoted Rachel Dunn to Head of Partner Operations at their Brigg warehouse, Rebecca Phillips to Head of Partner Operations at their Scunthorpe warehouse and Siobhan Riley to Head of Quality Assurance across the organisation.

Kevin Blackburn, Director at Systemise Fulfilment, commented: “As the business has grown significantly over the last 12 months, we’ve been reviewing our team structure and making changes that will allow every aspect of the business to run more efficiently. Gareth has extensive experience in the industry with over 7 years of experience. He has built and run his own warehouse and knows the business inside and out, so promoting him from warehouse operations to this key leadership role to support me was a no-brainer, and the transition has been seamless.

“Internally promoting Gareth and adjusting the team structure has also opened up new opportunities for other deserving team members to be promoted, including Rachel, Rebecca, Shaun, Owen and Siobahn, as well as opening up opportunities to bring in additional expertise to the team, which we have seen with the appointment of our brilliant Head of Global Human Resources, Nikki Thomas earlier this year.”

Systemise Fulfilment provides a one-stop solution for prep and order fulfilment needs – handling the receipt, inspection, preparation, quality control, storage, shipping, and order process for Amazon FBA and eCommerce businesses. To date, Systemise Fulfilment has shipped over 4 million units for partners and customers worldwide, expanding its operations in the UK, Europe, and the USA.

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