UK-based logistics platform to give access to ‘thousands of drivers’

Shift has launched a new platform designed to give access to a marketplace of thousands of drivers.

The company, which bought Tuffnells out of administration and was involved in the acquisition of Yodel, claims that the new service will improve earnings for drivers, while reducing costs for enterprise businesses with final-leg delivery requirements.

Building on the success with customers such as Ikea, the move heralds a new focus for the group, which aims to deliver value to large-scale parcel delivery networks and retailers.

To enable it to focus on this opportunity, Shift says it will move away from consumer offering and divest its non-core businesses.

Shift’s new enterprise focussed service, it explains, aims to addresses the cost challenges of last-mile delivery, offering a marketplace where carriers can post delivery work for on-demand fulfilment.

Jacob Corlett, Shift’s founder, said: “I started this company wanting to use our technology in the consumer market, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to help hundreds of thousands of customers.

“While stepping away from offering services directly to consumers has been a tough decision, as we’ve grown, it’s clear our true strength and the real growth opportunity is in the enterprise space.”

He added: “With thousands of drivers in our network, we’re better positioned to serve large carriers and retailers, saving them tens of millions in last-mile costs.

“This move allows us to focus on supporting businesses where we can make the most impact and more rapidly scale by disrupting a legacy logistics landscape.”

Shift has increased its large format locker network to 23 sites across the UK, with plans to expand further later this year.

The Group’s investors, including the UK technology investor Fuel Ventures, continue to support the direction of the business.

Shift successfully raised £5.4 million in funding during the first half of this year, reflecting strong investor confidence in its enterprise-focused strategy, it says.

Mark Pearson, CEO at Fuel Ventures, said: “While we originally invested in Shift as a direct-to-consumer business, our primary interest has always been on technology-driven companies that are making a meaningful impact in their industries.

“Shift’s decision to target the enterprise space aligns perfectly with that vision. The ability to save significant costs for their clients while enhancing efficiency and sustainability is exactly the kind of innovation we support.

“With their recent fundraising, we’re confident that Shift is well-positioned to drive even greater success in this next phase of growth.”