Logistics in Surrey

What is it like running a logistics business in Surrey?

And are the needs of Surrey businesses different from those in the rest of the country?

Two questions the team at Diamond Logistics are asked more frequently than you’d think! To find out why Diamond and the logistics in Surrey it has been providing for over 31 years we interviewed Group Operations Director, Natalie.

Our logistics origins

Diamond Logistics started as Diamond Despatch over 31 years ago from its Guildford base, more by luck than planning, when our founder Kate was only 20. Even its first major client was in Bracknell, so its base geography wasn’t ideal but it was a lifestyle choice.  Kate has lived in Surrey since she was 18, and loved it so it was  natural choice. It was based in Guildford town centre, and, bar a tiny sojourn to Godalming, has been within 5 miles ever since.

The changes from 1990 to 2023

But the dynamics of business particularly logistics in Surrey, which includes delivery by courier and carrier has changed a lot since the heady 1990s, says Natalie.

“The reality is in the 1990’s much of our work used to be the distribution of legal and banking documents often going up to London. Whilst we still retain quite a lot of these professional services company in the GU post codes the reality is that over 50% percentage of our business is now e-commerce fulfilment, whereas it used to be 100% same day courier, with the remaining a mix of same day courier, overnight and international deliveries. We also have 76% of our revenue that is generated not by us here in Guildford but by our network throughout the rest of the UK. “

Natalie continues,

“GU has never been a particularly industrialised area so therefore the density of deliveries of manufactured goods has never been high. But Surrey has so much to offer particularly in terms of quality of employees, awesome tech centre and resources it supports and innovative company such as ourselves. Added to a lovely surrounding and quality of life that it’s a great place to run the headquarters of our business despite the fact we don’t expect the GU service centre to ever retain its lead as head of our network revenues, despite it being in number one place at the moment.

Logistics for Top Brands

Some of the best brands in Surrey have been using diamond for over 30 years including a not so infamous F1 racing team and most of the big name solicitors and accountants in Guildford. Diamonds future target now is other owner lead or entrepreneurially established businesses where we can really appreciate the importance that outsourced logistics provides for them.

Kate, Diamond’s founder, says,

“We are seeing inbound leads from companies on the Surrey Research Park – eCommerce businesses wanting local outsources eCommerce fulfilment. This is where we shine – as an entrepreneurial led business we walk the walk with other owner managed businesses so we feel we can give great value here. Logistic in Surrey has never been easier to access.”

From overnight to international to same day Courier plus classic PUDO (pick up and drop off of parts for engineers) fulfilment as well as the continually growing e-commerce fulfilment has given Diamond longevity. Five years ago it moved to Henley business park, the site of Vokes. Kate remembers,

“We used to work with Vokes Manufacturers – one of the last huge manufacturers in Guildford. When the factory was closed , the land sold and we’ve moved on to the redeveloped industrial estate. It’s kind of a nice local loop of one industry replacing another – manufacturing with logistics – but still providing jobs and security to people in and logistics in Surrey to the businesses that need you.”