How Unipart is supporting the UK automotive market as a partner in sustainability, packaging and localisation

For regular followers of Automotive Logistics, you'll know the Red Sofa series well. But the red sofa has been swapped for the green sofa in an interview with Lucie Dobeer, Unipart's executive outreach director – and the colour change couldn't be more fitting as she starts the conversation reflecting on how sustainability has moved from a secondary consideration to a defining strategic priority across the UK's automotive supply chains.

“There is a real shift in terms of sustainability,” said Dobeer. “It’s not just a topic of conversation anymore… It’s very much at the forefront.”

According to Dobeer, OEMs are increasingly reassessing supplier relationships based on sustainability capabilities, with circular economy initiatives – remanufacturing and repurposing – becoming major drivers of change. "We're getting into really big conversations now, as opposed to just supplying and transactional," she said.

“We make it, we move it, and we improve it”

As Unipart prepares to join the Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain UK 2026 conference as premier partner, Dobeer shared how over the last 18 months Unipart has reorganised globally, integrating its consultancy, manufacturing, logistics and rail operations into a single business model. Dobeer said that unified structure is enabling the company to rethink how it supports OEMs facing growing pressure on cost, sustainability and resilience.

"Our consultancy, our rail business, our manufacturing and our logistics business… we are now one Unipart," said Dobeer. "We make it, we can move it, and we can improve it."

Unipart is the Premier Partner of this event. Lucie Dobeer and Robin Newing from Cummins present on Thursday, 18 June, at 11:00am.

17-18 June 2026 | Mercedes Benz World, Weybridge, UK

That integrated model, she argued, is becoming increasingly valuable as OEMs seek fewer, more capable partners – particularly around localisation, circularity and reusable packaging.

One of the centrepieces of Unipart's appearance at the conference will be a joint presentation with Cummins on reusable packaging transformation. The partnership began at an Automotive Logistics conference in Germany last year, after conversations with Cummins’ returnable packaging operations leader Robin Newing about eliminating single-use packaging and breaking packaging out of its traditional silo in the supply chain – which Automotive Logistics has covered in detail. The solution sees reusable, foldable packaging assets returned, cleaned, checked and tracked through Unipart-operated facilities – a closed-loop model that represented new operational territory even for Unipart. "It wasn't something that Unipart had physically done before," Dobeer admitted. "But we absolutely could do what they asked."

New Chinese OEMS drive localisation opportunities

The discussion also turned to the rapid expansion of Chinese EV manufacturers – BYD, Omoda and Jaecoo – into the UK and European markets. Dobeer says these brands are increasingly open to new partnerships as they scale aftersales and logistics operations. "They might want to start talking to new players, they might want to start looking at new partnerships," she said. For Unipart, geopolitical disruption, tariffs and shipping instability are making its domestic manufacturing capability – parts and batteries – a timely offer. "We can say we offer localisation."

Heritage meets transformation

Dobeer was keen to highlight Unipart's 50-year heritage in UK automotive manufacturing, which will be brought to life at the event – including Nigel Mansell's Formula 3 success in 1979. But the practical takeaway she wants attendees to leave with is: "What was the problem that they had, and how did Unipart play into the solution?" she said of the upcoming Cummins presentation. "I would like people to come away knowing a lot more about Unipart and learning about the reusable packaging to change their supply chain."