DHL Supply Chain has secured a new three-year contract to manage vehicle preparation and refurbishment services at the BMW Group’s Vehicle Distribution Centre (VDC) at Thorne, in the UK.
Historically, all vehicles imported through BMW UK have been sent to the VDC at Thorne for checking and preparation before being distributed to the dealer network.
However, in January 2018, the German carmaker’s new VDC in Killingholme, in the Humber Estuary, will start full operations, handling vehicles imported through the port of Grimsby and leaving Thorne to handle used vehicles and motorcycles.
Under the new contract, DHL’s specialist automotive sales and marketing services business, Inside Track, will provide fleet management and technical services at Thorne in support of the BMW Group’s company car fleet and customer experience evaluation fleet in the UK.
This new service includes fleet administration, valeting, preparation and refurbishment of vehicles. DHL will also provide specialist repair services including those for vehicles with carbon fibre bodies.
Colin Stokes, managing director of Inside Track, said: “We are proud of the quality and consistency of service we deliver to our customers and are delighted to be developing a partnership with BMW Group.”
BMW has a further UK VDC in Southampton, which also handles motorcycles as well as Mini exports.
Earlier this year, port terminal operator Southampton Cargo Handling (SCH) signed a four-year deal with BMW for technical preparation of cars and motorcycles at Southampton and Sywell in the UK.
