ROY’S  MESSAGE

Dear Valued Customers and Partners,

The last few months have been a particularly positive period for Sandford Freight.

Alongside the day-to-day work of supporting our customers, we’ve continued to strengthen relationships with our partners around the world, explore new shipping options and stay close to the changes taking place across our industry.

On a personal note, I was very grateful to be named a Bronze Winner in three categories at this year’s Great British Business & Community Awards. Sandford has always been a team effort, so recognition like this reflects the people around me and the business we have built together over many years.

As we head into the final quarter of 2026, our focus remains the same: providing a personal, reliable service and being there when our customers need us.

As always, thank you for your continued trust and support.

Warm regards,

ROY NAMED BRONZE WINNER IN THREE AWARD CATEGORIES

We’re delighted to share that Roy Walker has been named a Bronze Winner in three categories at the Great British Business & Community Awards 2026:

The awards received more than 2,770 nominations from across Great Britain, making the recognition a fantastic achievement.

Roy now progresses to the next stage of the awards, with the Silver and Gold Winners set to be announced at the National Awards Ceremony on Friday 25th September at the Crowne Plaza, Marlow.

A brilliant achievement for Roy and a proud moment for everyone at Sandford Freight.

A NEW ROUTE FROM CHINA TO THE UK

Sandford Freight can now offer customers access to the Arctic Shipping Route, providing an additional sea freight option between China and Europe.

The latest schedule from Ningbo to Felixstowe offers a transit of around 21 days, providing another option for businesses where traditional sea freight transit times may not suit their requirements.

The route can provide additional capacity outside traditional shipping lanes and another option for time-sensitive cargo.

As with any shipping route, suitability will depend on your cargo, timings and requirements. Our team can talk you through the available options.

SANDFORD FREIGHT IS HEADING TO SPRING FAIR 2027

We’re pleased to confirm that Sandford Freight will be exhibiting at Spring Fair 2027.

Taking place at the NEC Birmingham from 7th-10th February, Spring Fair brings together thousands of retailers, brands and suppliers from across the UK and beyond.

Our sales team will be there throughout the show, and we’re looking forward to meeting businesses from across the retail sector and discussing how Sandford can support their freight and logistics requirements.

More details, including where to find us, will follow closer to the event.

EVENTS

DAN & ROY HEADING TO THAILAND

Dan and Roy will be heading to Thailand in November to attend the GLF and Millennium conferences.

The events provide another opportunity to meet with freight and logistics partners from around the world, strengthen existing relationships and develop new connections across Sandford’s international network.

We’ll share more from their trip in the next update.

GEORGE IS HEADING TO MEXICO

George Williams will be attending the Americas Freight Cargo Conference 2026 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, from 28th October to 1st November.

The conference brings together freight forwarders and logistics professionals from around the world, providing an opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships, meet new contacts and discuss developments across global supply chains.

If you’re attending and would like to catch up with George while he’s there, please get in touch and we can arrange a meeting.

TEAM NEWS

A VERY SPECIAL VISITOR

We had a slightly different kind of delivery at the Sandford office recently!

Dan brought his new baby girl, Ariana, into the office to meet the team.

It was lovely to meet her and great to see Dan settling into his new role as Dad.

Congratulations again to Dan and his family from everyone at Sandford Freight.

WELCOMING OUR OVERSEAS PARTNERS

It was a pleasure to welcome fellow Millennium Logistics Network members to the Sandford office during Q3.

We were joined by the March 31st Logistics team from Nigeria during their visit to the UK.

International freight relies heavily on strong relationships with trusted partners around the world, so opportunities to move beyond emails and calls and spend time together face-to-face are always valuable.

Thank you to the March 31st Logistics team for taking the time to visit us. We look forward to continuing to work together.

INDUSTRY NEWS

SUEZ CANAL SERVICES BEGIN TO RETURN

There are signs of a gradual return to the Suez Canal, with some major carriers selectively reintroducing services through the Red Sea.

The Suez route can significantly reduce Asia–Europe transit times compared with sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. However, carriers remain cautious, with routing continuing to vary by service.

Our team will continue to monitor developments and advise customers on the options available for their shipments.

PLAN AHEAD FOR CHRISTMAS SHIPMENTS

Christmas may still feel some way off, but for businesses bringing stock into the UK, now is the time to start planning.

As we move closer to peak season, demand for freight capacity typically increases and available space can become more difficult to secure.

Booking earlier gives businesses more time to plan around shipping schedules, potential delays and any unexpected disruption along the way.

If you have stock that needs to arrive ahead of Christmas, we recommend reviewing your requirements now rather than leaving bookings until later in the year.

Our team can help you plan the most suitable route and timings for your upcoming shipments.

INSURANCE

We are pleased to introduce our collaboration with Breeze, aimed at elevating our insurance services for our valued customers.

For more information contact us.