However, short sea shipping offers huge cost benefits, and is becoming an increasingly attractive option for companies looking to import products from Spain, Portugal and Turkey.

This is because rising fuel prices have significantly increased the price of overland transport, leaving sea transport better placed to absorb these increases through economies of scale.

The current economic climate and a drive amongst customers to reduce the overall cost of the logistics chain has seen many companies look towards short sea for the first time as our MD, Alan Platt, explains:

“We are already able to offer savings of around 30% against our overland competitors. The price differential will continue to increase for the foreseeable future, and we are seeing a huge rise in interest from companies who previously hadn’t considered using short sea.

“Companies might be reluctant to sacrifice shorter lead times on deliveries, but our customers have found they are able to alleviate any problems through effective forward planning and by tweaking their order process and scheduling.”

At John Good, we have our own offices in Turkey, and a hand-picked network of partners based at ports across Southern Spain and Portugal. This means that we can provide cost-effective, efficient and reliable short sea logistics from across Europe, whatever your cargo.

We can provide a complete service, from collection of goods at origin through to final distribution in the UK. Our team can handle everything, from customs formalities including all necessary import and export documentation, as well as port-centric warehousing, pick and pack and distribution throughout the UK.

All our services are supported by Cargowise, a leading edge IT system, so customers benefit from unrivalled visibility and control of their cargo throughout the supply chain.

To find out how we can reduce the cost of your imports, and optimise your international supply chain, contact us today.

Within parts of the John Good Group, we have been using this system for several years already, and it provides unbeatable control throughout the whole warehouse operation. Features include automated, real-time task management, and accurate, reliable stock and inventory control across multiple sites.

This means that John Good Group customers can be confident their goods are in safe hands, and organised by an industry-leading system that offers complete control and traceability of their stock. In practice, this new system will ensure that we provide a reliable and responsive service every time.

Stuart Gosling, Managing Director of Felixstowe Warehousing, said:

“We are always looking at ways to improve our operations, to ensure that we provide our customers with a quality service. We looked at a wide range of different warehouse management systems before deciding on CHESS Empirica – its ability to fit in with our existing working practices made it a natural choice.”

Felixstowe Warehousing is one of the UK’s leading providers of cost-effective warehousing and storage services and sustainable, international freight handling solutions.

Perfectly placed at the UK’s largest container port, Felixstowe Warehousing handles all types of cargo, and holds accreditation from Organic Farmers & Growers and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) for food grade storage.

For further information on Felixstowe Warehousing, please visit http://www.felixstowewarehousing.co.uk or email info@felixstowewarehousing.co.uk

Brian joins us with over 20 years’ experience in top level positions across the shipping, distribution, manufacturing, civil engineering and property management sectors.

Louise Dawson has over 20 years’ experience in HR, and joins from Andrew Jackson Solicitors. Louise will be responsible for the recruitment of staff throughout the John Good Group of companies and will also manage the training for staff across the group, at all levels.

Alan Platt, MD of John Good Shipping, said:

“We are really pleased to welcome Louise and Brian to the company. Their combined experience and talent will help us to drive the business forward during 2012 and beyond.

“Despite the many challenges facing the industry, we are optimistic about the future, and have ambitious plans to grow the business further over the next few years. To ensure these plans are achieved, we will continue to invest in all areas of our businesses, including staff training.”

In addition to the new management appointments in Hull, we have also expanded our team across the UK, with two new additions. Paul Hagger has joined as field sales executive for the Midlands, and Tony White has taken on responsibilities in Tilbury, as import forwarding manager.

The new appointments are part of our wider strategy for investment and expansion. We are looking to expand primarily through organic growth in 2012 with a particular focus on the travel and warehousing sectors.”

Indeed, trust is an absolute requirement. We need to be completely confident that our freight forwarding partners will coordinate shipments, ensure containers are loaded and unloaded to agreed time schedules, provide the correct documentation and adhere to relevant customs procedures, all to our own exacting expectations. In short we need to be sure that they will oversee the smooth shipment of our customers’ cargo through their particular port.

So when it comes to developing our network of partners we naturally have pretty high standards. We only work with those that are operationally reliable, established, experienced and financially sound. Often relationships are developed through referral, recommendations and networking.

However, we also expect our overseas partners to understand and appropriate our customer values. They must be committed to delivering the high standard of service that our customers have come to expect from us. That is why the relationships we have with our partners are so important to us and why some of them go back many, many years. We work with many partners around the world and the thing they all have in common is a can-do, proactive approach towards our business because, of course, our business is their business.

Alan was chosen from over 40 applicants to share his experience on ports, logistics and overseas trade.

Working with the rest of the board, Alan will now be responsible for helping to identify the needs of this sector, and the best ways to help drive growth across the industry throughout the region.

The Humber board will act as a lobbying body for businesses in the region, and Alan will have an influence on how best to spend money awarded by central Government.

Alan had previously been involved in other organisations designed to promote growth in the Humber region, including the Humber Trade Zone and the Humber Economic Partnership.

“It’s really good to be part of something that can help to develop opportunities and inward investment for the Humber region, and more specifically, the ports and logistics sector”, said Alan

“The LEP includes representatives from a cross-section of successful businesses in the region’s core industries, and we aim to make a meaningful difference to the local economy.”

As a UK shipping agency with two dedicated offices in Turkey (John Good Denizcilik), we are perfectly placed to handle all your shipping requirements from the region. Whatever you are looking to import, our experienced teams specialise in providing cost-effective, safe and efficient transportation of goods from the source to destinations in the UK.

We also import high volumes, which means that we can provide really competitive rates and regular lines to the UK. With ships running several times each week to the port of Felixstowe, you can be sure that we can deliver your goods when you need them, at the best price possible.

Once in the UK, JGS group company Felixstowe Warehousing can provide efficient warehousing, storage and distribution services across the UK.

Felixstowe Warehousing provides a full range of services, from unloading and palletising, to storage and warehousing, and its located at the entrance to the port. This means benefit from an efficient, port-centric service, saving them time, reducing administration, and reducing the costs by eliminating expensive demurrage charges and quay rent.

From here, we can also provide cost-effective onward distribution to destinations across the UK.

So whether you are looking to import from Turkey, need some good business contacts in the country, or want reliable shipping partner, we can provide the best service possible.

For further information, get in touch today, or contact Alan Steadman at asteadman@johngood.co.uk or on 0161 8346444

Matthew Good tragically passed away on 26th June 2011, aged 32, whilst running the Humber Bridge Half Marathon for charity.

John Good & Sons has committed to provide a percentage of its profits to the foundation, and money will be raised through fundraising activities and events held throughout the year, as well as donations.

One initial focus of the trust will be on research and education into Sport Induced Heat Stroke. Money will also be made available to provide sponsorship and financial support to employees working within the John Good group who are taking part in charitable events.

Alan Platt, Managing Director of John Good Shipping, said:

“Matt was dedicated to the family business, and everyone who works in it. We had begun setting up a charitable trust at the start of 2011, and Matt had been heavily involved in this. Following his death, it was fitting to name the foundation after him.

“The Matthew Good Foundation will embody his principles, values and commitment to our staff. In addition to supporting charitable initiatives which colleagues are involved in, the foundation will also be aimed at education and research into the issues surrounding his untimely death.”

Fundraising events have already been arranged for 2012. Chris Price, who ran in the Humber Bridge Half Marathon, has already committed to running 32 half marathons in 2012, one for each year of Matt’s life, in support of the foundation. In addition, a team from the John Good Group will be taking on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge in April 2012.

For further information, to write a tribute for Matt, or to donate to The Matthew Good Foundation, please visit http://www.matthewgoodfoundation.org

Matt collapsed during the Humber Bridge Half Marathon, whilst running for
charity, and subsequently died yesterday afternoon.

This is a terrible, terrible tragedy and we are all absolutely devastated by this
news.

Matt, who was joint MD of the John Good Group, was a kind, generous,
caring, self-effacing, honest person with a great sense of humour.

He was totally committed to the Company and to our people. His belief was
that everyone within the Company should be treated as though they were
part of the family.

We have all lost a wonderful colleague and friend whom we will miss very
much.

Our thoughts are with Matthew’s wife, Isabel, and his family at this dreadfully
sad time.

John Rutherford (Chairman)
Alan Platt (Joint Managing Director)

We were delighted to see the group reach number 15 on the list, following an increase in turnover of 36.8% over the last 12 months. This achievement has been made possible thanks to John Good’s success in building its customer base across each of the core companies in the group, as well as through acquiring new companies in similar areas.

Data was compiled by researchers at St Chad’s College/Durham Business School, who created the list from companies across the region with a turnover in excess of £1M, who have also made profits in each of the past three years.

We aim to continue our policy of sustainable growth across the group over the coming years, as we strive to provide the best customer service possible in everything we do.

For further information on our group ethos and values, please visit

Each new site will feature a similar feel based on the new corporate design pioneered on our site as the John Good group looks to develop and grow the brand, and bring each of its group companies closer together. Each of these new websites will have a common navigation system, to ensure you can get to the information you want as quickly and easily as possible.

We already have some ideas about the additional features and functionality we would like to build into the site to make it an even more useful resource for our customers. We’re also open to new ideas for improvements, so please have a look round, and let us know what you think.

Our new website comes at a time when we are also investing heavily in IT systems, to ensure we stay ahead of the competition. More news to follow on this subject, shortly…