The host will introduce the day’s proceedings.

It is ironic that political decisions which are made with the intention of protecting or supporting workers often have the exact opposite effect.

Across Europe the past few decades have seen greater levels of HR regulation, minimum wage increases, longer statutory holidays, compulsory employer contributions to pensions and more workers’ rights.

Up until recently, logistics providers had no other option than to absorb these costs or pass them on to consumers. That is no longer the case. The development of automation, robotics and AI have meant that rather than ‘suck up’ ever rising employment costs, managers can make investment decisions which maintain or increase productivity while reducing labour forces.

In this practical session, Tim Bolam shares how leading warehouse operators should rethink WMS transformation. Rather than defaulting to a big-bang replacement, Tim will explain how modern WMS strategies are becoming more modular, cloud-enabled and integration-led — and why the real differentiator is implementation.

Drawing on DHL Supply Chain’s modular standardisation approach, automation experience and the Estée Lauder deployment using Manhattan Active WMS and 6 River Systems robotics, the session will outline what actually works in delivery: how to standardise without becoming rigid, how to deploy faster with lower risk, and where new cognitive WMS capabilities can realistically improve decision-making. Attendees will leave with clear, practical ideas for deploying modern WMS solutions in the real world.

Warehousing and logistics are far less bespoke than many senior executives assume. This practical, insight-driven seminar unpacks the real-world realities of modern warehousing operations – from everyday pinch points and management clarity challenges to the demands of dynamic warehousing environments.

For example, participants will explore how facilities can fluidly transition between night-time sortation and daytime roll-cage operations, all while consistently achieving on-time, in-full (OTIF) performance. This presentation also provides candid insights into when things go wrong and practical strategies for building resilient operations.

In this session, arvato shares how its Corby project brings warehouse transformation to life, showcasing the reinvigoration of a brownfield site and its role in supporting the 3PL’s 2030 strategy and long-term growth ambitions.

From vision to execution, Stuart and Maria will explore how the site is evolving, the innovations being implemented, and the impact this will have on future operations - highlighting practical approaches and insights that can be applied across other operations.

This session will demonstrate how strategic investment and operational excellence come together to shape the next generation of warehousing.

Warehouse automation has never offered more choice, from ASRS and robotics to conveyors, AMRs and sortation systems. But with so many technologies available, how do you decide which solution is right for your operation, and more importantly, how do you make them work seamlessly together?

This presentation explores the critical role software plays as the intelligence behind modern warehouse automation. We'll examine how warehouse software enables real-time decision-making, orchestrates multiple technologies into a single ecosystem, and creates a digital twin to optimise performance. We'll also discuss why high-quality data is the foundation of every successful automation project and how the right software strategy unlocks long-term scalability and flexibility.

Utopia Brands (a Top 5 Amazon seller since 2021) moved from FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) to its own warehouse, ramping up shipping from 300 items per day to more than 20,000 items per day in just two years.

Utopia shares how it got on top of inventory, innovated with IT and kept staff on board to tool up its operation for astonishingly fast growth. They will also discuss next steps, which could include warehouse automation and a new, bigger warehouse facility.

Being called to a Traffic Commissioner’s Public Inquiry is an extremely serious matter for any business. The Traffic Commissioner has the power to revoke, suspend or curtail your fleet and even to sanction individual directors and transport managers.

Weightmans Mock Inquiry has been designed to deliver a genuinely interactive, challenging and engaging learning experience and focus the minds of your team on those areas of transport compliance that put your business most at risk.

Disconnect can appear as planning that help the warehouse but hinders transport; gaps in data, systems and communication between warehouse and fleet operations; and teams compensating for issues on the other side.

Warehouse and transport should not be treated as two separate operational silos. The customer experiences them as one flow, and leadership needs clear visibility on the impact of decisions in different areas.

Every business decision creates a ripple, says Dan Culverhouse, veteran supply chain leader with experience at Tesco, Alshaya Group and others.

A product change, sourcing decision or sales promotion may appear positive and successful in isolation, but its impact is often felt across operations, warehousing and ultimately by the customer. This session will explore how silo thinking creates hidden costs, unintended disruptions and volatility.

Expect tips on connected decision-making, and learnings on how leadership, technology and better visibility can help you make more informed decisions and improve end-to-end flow, leading to better overall business performance.