SCALA, a leading provider of management services for the supply chain and logistics sector, has joined forces with Ocean Group China to assist UK and European businesses that are looking to supply to China.
It will also be helping businesses in China develop their domestic and international supply chain and logistics capabilities.
The new joint venture, known as SCALA China, has seen SCALA establish a new Chinese team, based in Suzhou, near Shanghai, which has a detailed understanding of the Chinese market and its logistics requirements. This team will be guided and supported by the core UK team, providing international experience and expertise.
The project will be headed up SCALA’s executive director Phil Reuben, who having completed over 100 business trips to China, has extensive experience of the country’s supply chain and understanding of the business cultures.
The Huddersfield-based business plans to launch its extensive range of services in China through the partnership including sourcing, supply chain, logistics and customer service. Opportunities have already been identified in helping companies develop their channels to market, supply chain systems and their logistics capabilities
It will also be providing opportunities for Chinese clients to visit the UK to study at Huddersfield University and to meet with UK businesses to develop a mutual understanding of the changing global marketplace and supply chain requirements.
As part of SCALA’s ambitions to build relationships in China, managing director John Perry was recently invited by JD.com to attend the 2018 Global Smart Supply Chain Innovation Summit on 12th March 2018 as a VIP guest. Held in Beijing, the Summit saw world-class technical experts and supply chain professionals, and global companies gather together to discuss trends around technology and innovative practices within the smart supply chain.
John Perry, managing director of SCALA, said: “This new joint venture is an important
milestone for SCALA as we aim to strengthen our offering and provide our services to businesses on an international basis. The UK and Chinese governments are keen to build on trading relationships, and SCALA is in a great position to assist those UK and European businesses that are looking to supply to China. Our objective is to adapt and tailor our best practice services to adhere to Chinese requirements, while also developing a supply chain ecosystem that meets the challenges of an increasingly demanding and complex marketplace, both within China and around the world.
“Ocean Group International has an enormous amount of knowledge about the supply chain and logistics marketplace in China. We were introduced to the company a few years ago by a mutual Chinese client we work with in the UK, so we have been building our relationship for some time. Its local understanding combined with our European expertise creates a formidable partnership that we hope can create lasting relationships overseas and in the UK.”
