Granby News Updates
Each month we bring you expert articles on 3PL, fulfilment, reverse logistics, customer service, promotional marketing & contract packing for e-commerce, retail & public sector. And there is always a little behind-the-scenes look at at least one of the many aspects of life at Granby.
March News
Welcome to our March News Update! This month, we delve into the transformative impact of the Procurement Act 2023, which promises to enhance transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity in UK public sector projects. We highlight our Annual Investors in People Update, where an independent review has provided valuable insights into our people management and organisational development, aligning our strategic focus for the year ahead. February also marked National Apprenticeships Week, a time for us to celebrate and reflect on the significant contributions apprentices make to our growth. Lastly, we’re proud to announce that two of our team members have successfully achieved the Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (RQF), highlighting our dedication to workplace safety. As spring approaches, we look forward to sharing more updates with you in April.
February News
Welcome to Granby’s February News update. The big news this month is that we’re honoured to be finalists in three categories at this year’s Red Rose Awards: Transport & Logistics, Employer of the Year, and Commitment to Skills. This recognition highlights our dedication to excellence and innovation. Our 2024 Carbon Report reveals a 31% reduction in emissions, keeping us on track for our 40% target by the end of 2025. Our Social Value Report highlights progress in well-being, sustainability, and diversity, reinforcing our commitment to social responsibility. We’re proud that our Managing Director, Caroline Noblett, is judging the BIBAs Apprenticeships Award, a cause close to our hearts with three apprentices at Granby HQ. Paul Dunleavy shares insights as we delve deeper into AI and cybersecurity. And our news update closes with congratulations to our warehouse apprentice, Thomas Plane, for completing his Forklift Truck Counterbalance training Have a great month!
January News
We hope 2025 is off to a fantastic start for you and your loved ones. As we embrace this new year, we’re thrilled to share some exciting developments from Granby. In our commitment to sustainability, we’re proud to introduce our all-electric fleet. This innovative step not only enhances our operational capabilities but also aligns with our environmental goals by reducing emissions and promoting cleaner energy use. We welcome Charlotte Booth as our new Head of People and Finance. With her diverse experience and passion for fostering a collaborative work environment, Charlotte is set to bring a fresh perspective to our team. Our insights into Christmas 2024 Retail Trends are a must-read as you plan for Christmas 2025. Our expertise in brand fulfilment and reverse logistics ensures seamless handling of customer returns, crucial for maintaining satisfaction all year-round. We’re already deep into planning with clients for the 2025 festive season, so it’s well worth a closer look. We look forward to a successful year together and connecting with you throughout 2025!
December News
As the festive season approaches, we’re excited to share our latest stories and achievements. This month, Victoria Pittman, Caroline Noblett, and Kayleigh Scott enjoyed a productive day in the Scottish countryside with Helen Connolly from Edrington UK, strengthening our partnership. Owen Harris and Kayleigh Scott participated in the AIA webinar on client expectations, emphasising trust and understanding in supportingh our cleints. At Google HQ, Caroline Noblett and Nic Rogan explored the neuroscience of happiness, reinforcing our commitment to a supportive workplace. Our Leadership Away Day focused on strategic planning for 2025, featuring team-building exercises in the Crystal Maze Experience. And lastly, our Elf on a Shelf, Granny B, is bringing holiday cheer and mischief to Granby HQ. Follow her adventures on LinkedIn! Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you all in 2025.
November News
We’re proud to highlight Victoria Pittman’s participation in the UKWA House of Lords Luncheon, where Victoria joined other industry leaders to discuss pivotal trends and sustainable practices in warehousing. Owen Harris’s extensive travels across the UK reflect our dedication to industry engagement; from London Packaging Week to the eCommerce Expo. We’re also embracing the Kaizen philosophy, focusing on operational efficiency and quality control. Join us in welcoming Katy Adams, our new Accounts Apprentice, whose inspiring journey from hairdressing to accounting motivates us all. And while our Halloween festivities brought creativity and camaraderie to Granby HQ, our support for the Asda TickledPink campaign showcased our dedication to meaningful causes. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to connecting again next month!
October News
Big news this month with Nicola Rogan being shortlisted for the HR Person of the Year at the prestigious Investors in People Awards. Add to that, Granby is a finalist in the Co-Manufacturer & Packer of the Year category at the UK Packaging Awards. We celebrate our team members who recently achieved the Level 2 Award in the Principles of Fire Safety. Owen Harris from Business Development continues to be active in engaging with industry partners at major UK trade shows.Looking ahead, we are exploring trends in loyalty promotions, particularly the role of subscription programs in enhancing commercial value and customer loyalty. Lastly, we warmly welcome Jack Hurst, our new apprentice, whose unique experience and enthusiasm are great additions to our team. Welcome, Jack!
September News
In the past month we have been able to announce our partnership with the Lancashire Wellbeing Business Network, aligning with our commitment to mental health. Our company barbecue was a fantastic success, we had the pleasure of hosting Edrington UK at Granby HQ, and we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to them for their generous sponsorship of this event. We’ve also been recertified for ISO 27001; this achievement underscores our unwavering commitment to information security and our dedication to maintaining the highest standards in managing risks related to the security of data. And we renewed our FSQS Certification, underscoring our dedication to security and quality. You may know that we occasionally publish longer stories in our blog section and we recently looked at trends in customer loyalty, exploring how loyalty programs are becoming a central strategy supporting the entire customer journey. We wish all our clients, friends, partners and colleagues a successful autumn ahead.
August News
We have had an exciting few weeks here at Granby and are thrilled to share our latest news. First, we warmly welcome Owen Harris to the Granby team. Owen will lead our Business Development efforts, reporting to Victoria Pittman and collaborating closely with Kayleigh Scott and the Client Services team. Looking at the broader Granby community, we welcomed the East Lancashire Hospice to Granby.
They received a cheque from Lisa Widdowson, who completed an impressive swim in the Lakes to raise much-needed funds. We hope you are all enjoying a wonderful summer.
July News
July has brought some fantastic news for the Granby team. We are thrilled to announce that we have been recognised as the Logistics Service Provider of the Year by the UK Warehouse Association!
We have also successfully renewed our Cyber Essentials Plus accreditations. This is mission-critical, ensuring best practices and business continuity. Victoria Pittman represented Granby at the annual Multimodal trade event. And back at Granby HQ, last year, we explored what drives our leadership team and it makes for an interesting read. We hope you enjoy this edition and that summer brings some joy as the school holidays approach. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to connecting with you again in August!
June News
This was a great month for us. We learned we have been shortlisted by the UKWA for the prestigious Logistics Service Provider of the Year award!
We were in Liverpool for Procurex National. We will all need to be on top of the implications of the 2023 Procurement Act which come into effect in October of this year and so we’re sharing the second of our 2-part video series on Public Sector Frameworks, a co-production with Procurement Services.
We all enjoyed a team Fish and Chip lunch at Granby HQ and in June we will be following Declan, from our Client Services team, as he takes on The MacMillan Longest Day Golf Challenge in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief. Thank you for all your continued support and partnership and we’ll see you for the start of the second half of the year next month!
May News
A packed month once again and this time round we start with a look forward to 16th May, where Granby will be exhibiting at Procurex National in Liverpool. Take a read and discover what we have to say on all things procurement. We also share the first of 2-part video series on Public Sector Frameworks. In other news, Victoria Pittman joined the panel at the UKWA North West Roadshow, as well as a UKWA Parliamentary Reception. And if we’re looking for reasons to celebrate, these include our reaccreditation with Investors in People, a big welcome for new members of Team Granby, and for Earth Day this year – a packet of Sunflower seeds for everyone!
April News
This month we celebrate the announcement that our MD, Caroline Noblett, has been recognised as one of Lancashire’s Rising Stars by Lancashire Business View.
In the spirit of celebrating the UKWA Year of Warehousing, we are also delighted that two members of our team completed their counterbalance forklift training. So, it is big shout out to Eddie and Richard, both are integral members of our warehousing and operations team who play a crucial role in delivering exceptional service to our clients. And as we marked International Women’s Day, we share thoughts from some of our key team members in support of this global event.
We hope you enjoy the read and we look forward to talking again with you in May.
March News
Lots to read in this month’s News Update. February saw the publication of our 2023 Social Value Report. We also had a promotion to celebrate for Kayleigh Scott, now our new Client Services Manager. This is part of our exciting client facing team restructure, designed specifically to improve the service we deliver for all our clients. Victoria and Kayleigh also managed to take in the Future of Packaging show at the NEC and on the back of that took some time out to take a really deep look into the future of packaging. And in celebration of Employee Appreciation Day here is a pic of our magnificent Team Granby at Tough Mudder.
We hope that your first quarter is going well and we look forward to talking again with you all in April.
February News
Happy February! Welcome to the latest news update from Granby. Looking back on the first month of the year, our new Managing Director, Caroline Noblett, has been busy on many fronts, not least welcoming Clare Bottle, CEO of the UKWA and our local MP, Kate Hollern, to Granby.
January also saw us publish our 2023 Carbon Reduction Report, one highlight is we are now sourcing more than 86% of our packaging from sustainable sources. Victoria Pittman, our Head of Client Services / Business Development took a deep dive into the future of the third sector, as well as being invited to judge at the BIBAs industry awards for the second year.
Finally, we hope your year has started well and we look forward to meeting up with you as soon as is possible. Let’s all have a great February.
January News
Happy New Year and welcome to the first news update of the year from Granby! We are delighted to announce that Caroline Noblett has been appointed as our new Managing Director, and will lead us into what promises to be a very exciting year .
This month we celebrate joining the Alliance of Independent Agencies, look forward to a playing our part in the UKWA Year of Warehousing and look back on some end of year celebrations with the Lancashire Skills Pledge. All this as well as taking a moment to celebrate being accepted onto the KCS Procurement Services Logistics, Warehousing & Removal Solution Framework as an approved supplier.
And last but not least, we have a lot to look forward to this year, and we are grateful for your continued support. We wish you, your colleagues, and your families a very happy and prosperous 2024.
December News
There has been much to celebrate in 2023, including new business wins and being accepted onto new frameworks, but our most significant milestone is celebrating a full year as an employee-owned trust!
In this month’s update, we share the remaining speedy interviews with our Super Six Leadership team, giving an inside look at their insights and experiences. And we will be discussing the new Procurement Act, which has implications for any business working with or for the public sector. We also applaud the work of our next generation of leaders in our Stepping Stones program. And we see that our Head of IT, Paul Dunleavy, is on top of all things AI.
Above all, we want to extend our warmest wishes for a joyous festive season to all our clients, partners, and suppliers. We hope you enjoy December and all the festivities.
November News
Welcome to November. A month that brings with it darker nights, colder weather and the onset of winter. But it also brings a freshness to the air, and the promise of cosy winter nights at home. And for our Granby leadership team, a 2024 strategic planning day with added jeopardy – well, team building exercises; in any event, from this pic they look as though it was a positive day! More pics and details are in the news update.
On the plus side, we can warm ourselves in the glow of Victoria’s visit to the House of Lords in her role with the UKWA, as well as the launch of the UKWA Year of Warehousing in 2024. We also reveal just why our Head of IT, Paul Dunleavy, sees a Fleetwood Mac song as an inspiration for his team and that a Time Travel machine may be next on his tech development agenda.
Happy November and we’ll see you again in December.
October News
October is here and there is definitely Autumn in the air. We’re very pleased to bring you this bumper news update, especially as we have heaps to cover off in this edition.
From being knee deep in mud to mixing with celebs at Packaging Week, and from celebrating success in our Warehouse team to celebrating Women in Leadership positions, the Granby team have certainly got out and about in the past month.
There should be something for everyone here. Hope you enjoy the read!
September News
As September arrives, it brings with it a sense of freshness and new beginnings. The school holidays are over, and the first hints of autumn are in the air.
But for us at Granby, this particular September holds an even more special significance – it marks our first full year as an employee-owned business.
We’re also excited to be nominated for a UK Packaging award, which recognises our industry’s significance. Additionally, we’re actively involved in our community this month through Pink Link, a platform supporting female entrepreneurs.
August News
This month, we explore ISO standards and their significance. Carrying on with the accreditations theme, Granby is proud to maintain its Gold Ecovadis Sustainability Rating. Our Stepping Stones programme for future leaders is in full swing, with the team focusing on a positive mindset.
Elsewhere, Kelsey Hall captivated her audience at a Lancashire Business View Hot 100 event, sharing insights on how Granby, an employee-owned SME has competed successfully in a world of large corporates. And lastly, local student Will provides a fresh perspective on Granby and the business world.