SEKO to open ‘hybrid’ logistics center in U.K.

To help serve a rising demand for e-commerce services in the central U.K. region, SEKO Logistics said it will expand services at its current fulfillment center in the town of Milton Keynes.

Chicago-based SEKO Logistics, which has 120 locations in more than 40 countries, offers what it calls a “hybrid” category of 3PL services, which bundles traditional order fulfillment with global transportation networks, said Paul Balsom, co-director of SEKO’s U.K. Midlands region.

SEKO’s fulfillment center in Milton Keynes will be supported by a team of air-, ocean- and roadfreight specialists, he said.  The town has been one of SEKO’s fastest-growing locations, since the company opened a 250,000-square-foot logistics center there in 2014. “We already have a fast-growing client base in and around Milton Keynes, as we do across the U.K.,” said Keith O’Brien, SEKO’s group managing director. “But the pace with which new companies are coming into this region means we want to be here with our full package of services.”

The facility offers omni-channel services for global order fulfilment, delivery management, returns and e-commerce for several retail brands, including Beauty Pie, Knomo, East Clothing, Marks and Spencer, and Birchbox. SEKO also recently secured a logistics contract with British fashion brand Joules.

“Unlike traditional freight forwarders, SEKO identified some years ago that our ‘hybrid’ model of fulfillment linked to transportation is the future,” Balsom added. “We’ve developed our own technology and logistics capabilities so we can support our customers with visibility of all transportation statuses upstream from the vendor, and downstream to final delivery to customers.”