GLOBAL freight has always been influenced by events beyond any single business’s control. Weather, labour issues, port congestion and equipment shortages have long been part of the picture. More recently, wider geopolitical tensions have added another layer of uncertainty – affecting routing, transit times, capacity and cost, often with very little notice.
For tile importers, this doesn’t mean shipping has become impossible. It does mean the margin for error is smaller, assumptions need checking more often, and clear communication has never been more important.
Says the company: ‘At Banks & Lloyd, we work closely with tile importers across the UK, and our focus is on helping customers understand how changes in the wider environment can affect their shipments in practical terms – and putting sensible measures in place to reduce avoidable disruption.’
Visibility that supports decision making
When conditions are unsettled, visibility matters. Says the company: ‘We track the key milestones of every shipment and keep updates clear and factual: what’s booked, what’s moved, what’s changed, and what’s needed next.
‘Many customers now use the Banks & Lloyd Customer Portal to see status updates and documents in one place, reducing the need for constant chasing and giving teams confidence in what they’re looking at. It’s not about dashboards for their own sake – it’s about having reliable information when you need it.’
Customs done properly, not reactively
Periods of global disruption often bring increased scrutiny at borders. That makes accurate customs work essential. Small paperwork issues that might once have been waved through can now result in delays, queries and unexpected charges.
We act as customs agent for many of our customers and focus on getting the fundamentals right early: correct commodity codes, values, origin, and supporting documents, says Banks & Lloyd. When customs questions do arise, they’re addressed quickly and clearly, so freight doesn’t sit waiting while problems are unpicked.
Avoiding costs that don’t add value
Demurrage, detention and storage charges are rarely caused by one big failure. More often, they creep in through small timing slips – a late clearance, a missed release, or a delivery detail that wasn’t confirmed in time.
When market conditions are volatile, these costs can rise sharply. Banks & Lloyd says it actively monitors free time, plan collections early, and coordinate handovers so containers don’t drift into chargeable days simply because something was left unresolved.
Road delivery planned for the reality of tiles
Tiles are heavy, fragile and time sensitive, and they don’t forgive rushed delivery planning. We make sure delivery arrangements reflect real site conditions: access, opening hours, forklift availability, realistic time windows and clear contact details. It helps prevent failed deliveries and unnecessary rehandling when pressure is already high elsewhere in the chain.
Protecting value, not just liability
Uncertainty does not remove risk – it concentrates it. Damage remains rare, but when it occurs the financial impact can be significant. Across the logistics supply chain, liability is typically limited at each stage, which can leave a gap between the value of the goods and what can realistically be recovered if something goes wrong, says the company.
It adds: ‘For customers who want full value protection, we arrange straightforward cargo insurance options designed for the tiling trade. The aim is clarity: understanding how risk is structured within the supply chain, and where protection needs to sit, well before a problem arises.’
A practical approach to sustainability
Sustainability conversations don’t stop during periods of disruption, but they have to remain practical. At Banks & Lloyd, it says its focus is on reducing unnecessary journeys, using EV company vehicles where possible, and supporting customers with emissions data and greener options when requested – without losing sight of commercial realities.
Here to help, not complicate
Uncertainty is now part of the landscape. Our role is to help tile importers navigate it calmly – by explaining implications early, avoiding problems that can be avoided, and dealing clearly with the ones that can’t, says the company.
It adds: ‘If you want a straightforward review of your shipping lanes, suppliers, customs approach or delivery planning, we’re always happy to help – sometimes a short conversation is all it takes to remove the biggest sources of cost and delay.’
01625 441 200
info@banksandlloyd.com
www.banksandlloyd.com
