At iN tIME Wholesale Express their primary focus when it comes to special services is to find a solution based on the parameters you provide. Whether your consignment is out-of-gauge or over-weight, your destination is unusual or hard to access or your transit requirement way beyond the norm, they will always find you the right solution - and FAST!

I had a chance to do an interview with the General Manager of Sales of iN tIME - Steve Turner. He will give us a tour about his background and other interesting stuff we can learn from the man himself!

How long have you been in the freight forwarding business?

ST – I’ve worked in logistics for the last 24 years!

How did you get into the freight and logistics industry?

ST – A friend, working for an international courier company, needed help on Saturdays and then on weekday evenings too - which I did as a second job. This experience helped me to secure a full-time operations position with another courier/freight company. I’ve been in the industry ever since…

What are the current difficulties or challenges you are facing in your country when it comes to shipping?

ST – As a small to medium sized company, it can be difficult to compete rates-wise with the larger and multi-national firms, however, In Time overcomes this by being a very service-driven organization which offers products that are hard to find from our competitors, and this enables us to retain customers on a long-term basis.

As I am sure most of your are aware, there is a level of uncertainty surrounding the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit), but until a deal is struck between the UK government and the EU, it is impossible to predict how far reaching the consequences concerning the logistics industry will be.

There’s also the age-old scenario of customers wanting the best possible service for the very best price, something that I think we will all agree, is not possible to achieve!

For customs clearance in your country, any advice or guidelines you can provide to your future partners?

ST – Always engage with us prior to arranging for your freight to depart from its origin! Checking of receiver’s credentials and import documentation requirements, in advance, will help to prevent additional charges and unnecessary delays for clearance and in turn, final-mile delivery.

If you can change anything about the freight forwarding industry, what would it be?

ST - I would like to see air carriers become more culpable for their service failures. I’ve long felt that there is far less of a ‘make it happen’ mentality from the airline/handling shed side of the business, than from the forwarding companies that work so hard to secure and sustain the traffic that we/they move. This key element of the logistical chain seems very easily broken, without any responsibility for the failure taken on-board.

What advice would you give to a person who is considering a career in a freight forwarding industry?

ST – Be prepared to learn as much as you can about the many facets of logistics. There are myriad opportunities to progress a career in this industry, with the widest choice of promotions available to those candidates who demonstrate knowledge and skills across multiple modes of transport.

What is something you would like to us to know about your company?

ST – In Time is a very progressive company. In the last 5 years, we have made a huge transition from being a courier company with a single flagship service (express parcels to Russia), to a freight forwarder offering high quality air and road services, specializing in the most urgent or time critical deliveries. In Time holds membership with both IATA and BIFA. In recent months, we have further expanded our portfolio by launching an ocean freight department. Our strength is a combination of a wealth of knowledge and experience and a pro-active attitude from our team.

Please tell us about your company. Where are your headquarters and when did you first establish the company?

ST – In Time was established by our MD – Jonathan Hornby, in 2003. We are based in Colnbrook, which is just a few kilometers to the west of London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR).