To capture part of the automotive supply chain market, Canada-based 3PL solutions provider Metro Supply Chain Group has completed the acquisition of U.K.-based automotive and industrial services emergency logistics provider, Evolution Time Critical. Although the financial details have not yet been disclosed, the deal enables Metro to further its expansion outside North America and carve out new niche markets.
Traditionally Evolution Time Critical’s services have provided a “safety net” enabling automotive companies to avoid supply-chain disruptions with “time-sensitive solutions,” according to Evolution Time Critical’s managing director, Brad Brennan. However, reliable emergency logistics are increasingly becoming a key component of sourcing strategies, he said, “such as Lean supply, reduced buffer stocks and contracting lead times.” As a result, premium freight is becoming the norm for shipping higher-cost components, rather than just a strategy limited to countering supply-chain emergencies.
Evolution Time Critical will continue to operate under existing management at its U.K. headquarters, and will continue to utilize its service hub in Dusseldorf, Evolution Time Critical Deutschland. In addition, Evolution will gain access to Metro’s extensive infrastructure which includes over 12 million square feet of warehousing and industry prowess. Brennan said his company will not only “make strategic use of” Metro’s physical infrastructure, but also “further develop the support infrastructure of [Evolution’s] U.K. headquarters — including IT and transport management systems — to provide a truly multimodal service to our growing customer network.”