Kicking off the Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain United Kingdom event in 2026, Levent Yuksel, freight operations director at Jaguar Land Rover, shared how sustainability and collaboration lie at the heart of JLR's reimagining of logistics for long-term resilience and competitiveness.
Responsible for inbound freight, packaging and finished vehicle logistics at JLR, Yuksel's role involves overseeing the planning and execution of optimised logistics to meet the needs of its global manufacturing operation and customer demand.
Addressing challenges in today's supply chain
Yuksel highlighted some of the biggest challenges faced in the automotive supply chain in 2026, including:
- Geopolitical instability
- Infrastructure gaps for alternative fuels and EV fleets
- Rising energy costs
- Fragmented logistics networks
- Global competition and regulations
"The scale of transformation required cannot be delivered through conventional relations," he asserted. "All of these challenges push us to think differently from the conventional methods, because the way we used to think, the way we used to act, is not the way that we can succeed."
New ways of collaborating
At JLR, when it comes to logistics, the focus is first on the fundamentals; Yuksel explained that ensuring a solid foundation of an optimised and efficient supply chain from the outset. From there though, it is collaboration that he sees as the driving force towards a more competitive and resilient future.
He explained that all organisations in the automotive supply chain operate as part of an ecosystem and therefore do not act alone, so working in harmony with partners and within this ecosystem itself is essential to ensure the industry as a whole is as competitive as it can be.
A shift in mindset from more traditional transactional relationships with partners to more value-based collaboration is the first step on this journey, Yuksel noted.
"We are developing the approach – together with our colleagues – with our suppliers and providers to reach to a level of partnership where we can share the gain and also we can share the pain," Yuksel said, reiterated that shared objectives, values and direction between an OEM and its partners is crucial to achieving true collaboration.
"If you don't know a carrier and you don't trust a carrier, why are you working with that carrier?" asked Chris Payne, head of logistics for Europe and Asia at Dauch Corporation, later in the conference, emphasising that collaboration is not just an advantage in today's market, it's a necessity.
How can enhanced collaboration improve resilience?
With more collaborative partnerships, greater levels of agility can be unlocked, allowing an OEM to respond to shocks in a more quick and decisive manner than could be achieved through a purely transactional relationship.
While he acknowledged that preventing disruption like geopolitical conflict or extreme weather is not possible, Yuksel noted that companies can adapt their approach to risk management to be more agile and address issues sooner.
He asserted that strong relationships enable effective crisis response, while flexible solutions – attained through close collaboration with partners –allow for customer deliveries and business performance to be maintained in spite of headwinds.
Partners simply fulfilling contractual obligations won't be as willing to provide supported outside of this scope when it is most important to an OEM. However, in a relationship built on trust, transparency and fairness, both an OEM and its logistics partner can make decisions together, sharing ownership and working towards the same outcome.
This sentiment was echoed by speakers throughout both days of the conference, including by Sebastian Gerber, director of sales for automotive at AIT Worldwide Logistics. He explained that collaborating with a partner that has a deep insight into its customers' operations and genuinely wants to support them can make supply chain crises much less daunting.
"Managing logistics in times of crisis should feel like managing logistics in normal times if you do it right," he asserted.
Viewing peers as allies, not rivals
If the industry is to get where it wants to be, Yuksel shared his view that OEMs will need to stop viewing other manufacturers as rivals, but rather as allies. This is especially true when it comes to sustainability.
"We want to avoid empty runs or half-full trailers, trains or vessels," he said. "That comes with being open and transparent in terms of data sharing."
He explained how shared networks can deliver higher asset utilisation, reduced empty running, lower per-unit emissions and lower per-unit cost, providing an advantage not just for sustainability, but also in terms of cost and efficiency.
Just as with a logistics partner, sharing both the risk and reward with peers in the industry can be a win-win. "This is the incentive – we are in the same boat, we are on the same team," said Yuksel. "So if there is a gain, we share the gain, but if there is a pain, that has to be shared by each stakeholder, and what we have seen that is very important for the UK supply chain and logistics industry is to know how to collaborate."
Acknowledging that infrastructure can be a significant barrier to sustainability progress, he encouraged the industry to also establish co-shared hubs for attracting charging infrastructure, alternative fuels bunkering and public refuelling stations along core corridors to enable long-haul decarbonisation.
He also advocated for the entire industry to work together to co-develop pilot projects, taking a creative and transparent approach, and to explore how investment into existing multimodal infrastructure can take pressure off the UK's roads.
"Smarter, competitive logistics done sustainably and collaboratively can become a strategic advantage," Yuksel stated.
Supply chain mapping critical for visibility
Greater visibility is also changing how manufacturers evaluate supply chain risk and cost. As Dr Heiko Gierhardt, director of material fulfilment for industrial operations at JLR, supply chain mapping initiatives that began as compliance exercises have evolved into tools for understanding vulnerabilities across multiple tiers of the supply chain. That level of transparency is helping companies move beyond a narrow focus on unit cost and towards broader assessments of supply-chain resilience. "It's not only piece price, it's not only logistics cost, it's the total cost approach," Gierhardt said.
Over a period of 18 months, Gierhardt explained that JLR was able to map more than 75% of its supplier sites, achieving visibility for critical parts down to tier 3. Incentivised by compliance requirements – as well as the recent chip crisis and aluminium supply concerns – having a clear view of the entire global supply chain is a strategic advantage both in terms of resilience and competitiveness. In Gierhardt's words, until you map it, you are managing a supply chain that you cannot see.
Six lessons for resilience
During a panel discussion on keeping UK supply chains flowing in spite of permanent volatility, speakers highlighted X key messages that the industry should take on board to improve resilience and be better prepared in times of crisis.
- Share information with partners earlier
The panel emphasised that transparency and timely communication with partners can ensure a coordinated response to disruptions before they escalate. "The earlier we give this information to our partners, the more chance we have to react to it with less disruption," JLR's Yuksel said.
- Focus on solutions, not blame
Speakers argued that successful partnerships spend less time assigning responsibility and more time finding answers. "The key focus is what we can do right given the circumstances," said Yuksel.
- Empower partners to act decisively
True resilience requires quick decision-making and trust between partners. Adam Jones, senior commercial director at DSV, claimed that logistics providers should be embedded in decision-making rather than waiting for instructions from their customers. "You partner with 3PLs and supply chain partners to make decisions for you because we use our expertise, data and the tools available to us," he said. "So it's important to building a relationship where you empower partners and 3PLs to make some of these decisions without always coming to you."
- Take advantage of technology to gain visibility
Understanding that value that technology such as visibility platforms, predictive analytics and AI can bring in helping supply chains shift from reactive to proactive management is crucial, and the advantages these technologies bring should not be overlooked. While he reaffirmed that the power to make final decisions should remain in the hands of human experts, Yuksel described these tools as a "key ingredient" in the decision-making process.
- Build resilience into the workforce
With driver shortages remaining a long-term risk, both Yuksel and Jones highlighted the need for better working conditions, smarter network design and stronger efforts to attract talent into logistics careers in order to secure the long-term prosperity of the sector. "It's a really good and exciting industry to be in, it's just not pushed enough, I think, at a younger age," said Jones. "We need to get people more excited about working in logistics."
- Make collaboration a strategic capability
Jones' closing message echoed the central theme of Yukel's keynote: organisations should examine whether relationships are still transactional or genuinely collaborative. "It can't be a transactional relationship now between customers, manufacturers, suppliers and 3PLs; it has to be a cohesive partnership approach," concluded Jones. "That strategic, transparent and sometimes challenging relationship is always the best way to go."
Policy priorities
The responsibility to drive resilience within the UK automotive logistics industry does not rest solely on OEMs, tier suppliers and logistics service providers. Many of the challenges that face automotive supply chains cannot be solved by the industry alone; government support is needed.
One such issue is that of skills shortages. As Ben Garratt, acting policy director at Logistics UK, pointed out, there are concerning gaps in critical roles including HGV drivers and technicians, with nearly 47% of employers reporting severe recruitment challenges for technical roles.
Robert Gammon, director of planning, vehicle logistics and supply chain transformation at Aston Martin, described skills shortages as the most immediate issue facing the industry and noted that addressing this issue will be critical to ensuring the competitiveness of the UK automotive sector.
"One of the biggest challenges we have at Aston Martin is finding really good supply chain people," he said, adding that the rise of AI has added another layer of complexity to this by requiring that personnel not only have supply chain skills but also AI literacy skills.
Garratt noted that convincing the government that logistics underpins the economy and should be regarded as a strategic economic enabler is the first step towards greater support from the UK government for the logistics industry in addressing challenges like skills shortages.
"We need the Department of Education and the Department of Work and Pensions to care about the skills issue," Garratt said. "We know the Department of Transport cares, but it doesn't have any of these levers and we need them to think about the apprenticeship units so that businesses that are already putting money into the apprenticeship levy can take that levy funding and use it for shorter courses to deal with the rapidly changing workforce needs."
Another area where investment from the UK government will be essential is addressing infrastructure gaps. Transport infrastructure, charging infrastructure and energy infrastructure will all be critical as the UK market continues to target decarbonisation, electrification and network optimisation.
Investment in rail infrastructure in particular was identified by speakers as a key enabler of growth and competitiveness in the UK automotive logistics industry.
"I think it's extremely important to invest into the transport sector, into the rail sector," said Andreas Neumeister, global account director at DP World, noting that significant investment in rail infrastructure will be essential if the UK government is to meet the target of growing rail freight by at least 75% by 2030 set out by the Conservative government under Rishi Sunak in 2023.
Garratt noted that the UK Treasury is a "big player" when it comes to infrastructure policy and it will be important to make them aware of the direct economic impact some of these schemes can have. He also highlighted how a reformed planning system could help facilitate investment in infrastructure and mentioned that a nationalised rail system could "potentially enable a healthier conversation about opportunities to invest to rail freight."
Energy infrastructure was another area where it was identified that support from the government would be key as both consumers and fleet operators transition to electric vehicles. However, Garratt noted that convincing the National Energy System Operator (NESO) of how much more energy the logistics sector will need in the coming years might prove difficult as NESO is used to dealing with stakeholders that need energy today rather than ones that have no immediate need for more energy but will need 32 terawatt hours by 2050– roughly 85% of the country's current nuclear energy output – for road transport alone.
Neumeister also touched on the value of Free Trade Zones. "I think what is also very important is looking at Free Trade Zones (FTZs) and using those in our logistics supply chain," he said. "We are having A lot of good experience made in this area."
He shared that DP World is investing around $1 billion in its London Gateway FTZ, setting up two new berths and a new railway terminal.
