JP which has decades of experience in handling the transport of JP fresh produce worldwide has capitalised on its technical expertise, warehousing, trucking capability, tracking systems and strategic relationships to meet the logistic needs of the most demanding commercial and private customers.

Logistical solutions

The company will be catering to its clients by providing complete door-to-door logistical solutions, including customs clearance. According to David Harris, General Manager of JP Shipping Services, "our customers know that if we are able to move bananas from a farm in St Mary and put it on the shelf at Marks and Spencer in England, on time, every week, and without a single scratch then we can also be trusted to handle the shipping of their personal effects and commercial cargo."

Monthly, JP will handle the transport of 150 containers, carrying cargo from the UK and the Continent as diverse as household and personal effects, second-hand vehicles, massive construction equipment, luxury cars, perishable food, manufactured goods and traditional consumer product lines.

Larger warehouse

As part of its expansion programme, JP has recently contracted a new and larger warehouse in London in close proximity to the 2012 Olympic Village, designed specifically to serve the increasing needs of its Jamaican client base. Located adjacent to its existing Windward Islands depot, it brings together the entire range of Caribbean destinations served in one strategically important location in the East End of London, and from which national coverage of the UK is centred.

It will be developing this location over the next few months into a facility where individuals and businesses can consolidate shipments of any size destined for the Caribbean.

Additionally the company will be providing a valuable facility to receive and unstuff inbound containers entering the UK via the nearby London port of Tilbury.

Over many years JP Shipping and RAM have become leaders in the movement of personal effects and private vehicles, including lorries and European cars. According to Rob Smith, operations manager: "Our staff will go the extra mile. On a typical day we might be called upon to visit an apartment in any part of London or the wider UK to collect a barrel of back-to-school items that are to be sent to relatives back home in Castries, St Lucia, St George's, Grenada or May Pen, Jamaica.

The barrel

"We know that the barrel has to get to its destination on time because people depend on it."

At the other end of the spectrum, JP — utilising its fleet of specialist flat rack equipment dedicated exclusively to the Jamaican trade — serves the needs of the road building, construction, transport and mining industries handling heavy lift and out of gauge pieces of equipment up to 65 tonnes. Whether it is a 50 tonne cable drum, a jaw crusher, excavator, mobile crane or even the bridge over Stubbs River, JP is the carrier of choice.

According to Harris, "We bring three critical strengths to the logistics business: first, we know and respect our customers in the Caribbean; second, our background in produce means that we appreciate the strict importance of timely delivery and good service; thirdly, we have the institutional credibility to get things done."

The company feels that these strengths will continue to foster good business opportunities. For example, the Group's knowledge of its Caribbean customer base allows it to offer additional focus on service to its personal effects clients at critical times of the year such as the pre-Christmas rush into Jamaica or Crop Over in Barbados.

Other growth areas

Another area of growth in this current economic environment comes from the fact that some commercial customers wish to preserve working capital and order from the UK less than a full container load of raw material or inventory. Because JP can handle the shipment of even a pallet or single box of merchandise, it offers flexibility to its customers.

The company will consolidate merchandise at one of its depots for a single customer or group merchandise with other customers depending on each requirement. As pointed out, "We can arrange to place, progress chase and collect an order from a supplier in either the UK or Europe, arranging shipment to the client in the Caribbean on one of our weekly services."

Finally, on cargo going into the UK, JP offers a full service including customs clearance, in-land haulage and cargo tracking. According to Operations Manager, Rob Smith, "we simply know from our years in produce that you never stop working a container until it reaches its destination safely."