Four companies have joined forces under a new banner called Forfield to bid for work managing the supply chains the Ministry of Defence depends on, according to Kuehne+Nagel, one of the partners.
The alliance brings together Kuehne+Nagel, TVS Supply Chain Solutions, Atos and Turner & Townsend, each offering a different piece of what defence logistics now requires. Kuehne+Nagel contributes global transport, customs and supply chain management, TVS procurement, demand planning and inventory management, Atos secure digital systems and cybersecurity, and Turner & Townsend programme management, commercial oversight and governance.
Between them the four employ more than 14,000 people in the United Kingdom and claim more than 170 years of combined experience serving defence customers. All four hold the Gold award under the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
Aaron Scott, managing director of Kuehne+Nagel UK, said: “Forfield combines the complementary expertise of four highly experienced partners to support the evolving logistics requirements of the UK Defence sector. Kuehne+Nagel brings its UK and global logistics expertise to ensure critical equipment and materials reach the right place at the right time.”
Roger West, managing director for defence and government at TVS Supply Chain Solutions, said: “In an increasingly unpredictable environment, operational readiness depends on visibility, insight and agility across the supply chain. As demands evolve, organisations need supply chains that can adapt quickly, perform consistently and remain resilient in the face of disruption.”
The stated aim is improving the availability of equipment and materials for operations, with the partners offering a single point of contact rather than four separate relationships. Forfield says the demands on defence organisations continue to evolve, driven by global uncertainty, growing supply chain complexity, emerging technologies and the need to respond quickly when requirements change.
