Logistics | MI Transport

What is the De Minimis Limit in the UK?

The De Minimis rules are changing in the UK and the EU. Currently in the UK, goods worth less than £132 can enter the country without paying customs duty. However, this rule will be phased out by March 2029. From the 1st July 2026, the EU will also remove their De Minimis exemption for goods under €150.

De Minimis Limit

Why is the De Minimis limit changing?

The government initially introduced the De Minimis limit because it was fast and cost-efficient. Goods below £132 were seen as too trivial to be worth the time and paperwork to charge customs duty.

However, there will now be import charges for all goods because the De Minimis rule was harming local UK businesses. Without import tax, many businesses were buying goods for affordable prices from overseas and undercutting domestic prices.

Ending De Minimis exemption aims to help support domestic businesses and implement a fairer UK trade tariff.

The end of De Minimis also means that all goods entering the country will be more thoroughly checked so that they meet UK standards. This provides more protection for consumers.

What De Minimis changes mean for businesses

UK businesses who source their products overseas have four years to budget for increased expenses on their imported goods. The cost of customs duty depends on the type of goods and where they originated from. The price should vary from 0%-25% of the total cost of the item.

For businesses with customers in the EU, the buyers will be required to pay import tax from 1st July. Consider this in your costs and make clients aware of the changes.

At MI Transport, we can help you stay up to date with De Minimis changes and offer smooth and efficient cross-border delivery services. For more information, you can contact warren.boxford@mitransportltd.co.uk or call 0333 577 5100.

Streamline Customer Service with MI Transport

Offering exceptional customer support is crucial when shipping products. In the modern day, convenience is a priority. Streamlining customer service not only makes your business more scalable and efficient, but it also improves your reputation.

Delivery management software is a great way to simply and easily monitor your shipments and provide customer convenience.

Streamline customer service with MI Transport

What is delivery management software?

A transport management system allows you to handle end-to-end logistics in a single system. This frees up your team to support your customers and grow the business.

Delivery management software can automate tasks such as route planning and route optimisation. It can consider the delivery locations, traffic, and wait times to plan the most effective delivery route.

They also provide delivery updates and live journey tracking. This allows you and your customers to see exactly how far away their delivery is.

Delivery software also can provide reports of delivery data and help with invoicing and delivery bookings.

What is a warehouse management system?

As well as delivery management systems, there are warehouse management systems which assist with product storage.

Effective warehousing storage allows your team to dispatch deliveries quicker and optimise space. It also reduces the risk of misplaced packages.

Warehouse management software can provide a detailed map of a warehouse so you can easily find packages. It can also assist with order management and batch or lot control.

How can delivery management systems improve customer service?

Delivery software can help you to offer your customers transparency and convenience. It can accurately predict delivery times, help you calculate costs, and quickly respond to delays.

It can help you smoothly scale your business and accommodate for periods of high demand. This means you can always offer an excellent customer experience.

With delivery and warehousing software, you can track, monitor and adjust your deliveries from end-to-end. As a result, you have ultimate control with less work and can offer clear and responsive customer service.

At MI Transport we provide Journease Transport Management and Clarus Warehouse Management systems to streamline your shipping experience. Call 0333 577 5100 or email warren.boxford@mitransportltd.co.uk for more information.

Why Logistics Planning is Important

Any business that manufactures or transports stock should have a robust logistics plan. Ample logistics planning allows your company to minimise delays, reduce costs, offer excellent customer service and expand your business capacity. By partnering with reliable suppliers and transport services, you can ensure the supply chain is operating optimally and you are consistently providing quality services.

Creating a logistics plan

The first step in logistics planning involves gaining a thorough understanding of your supply chain. From sourcing materials to transportation and even customer returns, researching your current system and collecting information on the stages that are time consuming or often cause delays will provide crucial insight when planning.

Logistics planning services can allow you to gain professional advice to construct a detailed short-term and long-term logistics plan to meet customer demand and accommodate for growth. Your plan should incorporate details on all facets of the logistical process to reduce potential delays at any stage.

logistics planning

Things to consider when logistics planning

The different aspects of the supply chain include: procurement, suppliers, transportation, handling, resource management, inventory management, packaging, fulfilment and reverse logistics.

Properly vet your suppliers and partner with multiple manufacturers in case one experiences issues or delays. Package goods safely and professionally and consider purchasing shipping insurance to protect your stock.

When hiring transportation services, prioritise safe handling and prompt delivery times. If you are transporting temperature-controlled goods or other delicate or sensitive material, ensure staff have been suitably trained in handling these products.

Collect data on your delivery times and notice which areas may be lacking in efficiency. Streamline or automate certain processes to reduce the need for unnecessary paperwork or admin. 

At MI Transport, we can offer same-day delivery with a skilled team and a range of transportation specialities. To learn more, get in touch with our team by emailing info@mitransportltd.co.uk.

When to Use Temperature-Controlled Transport

Temperature-controlled transport is ideal for hauling goods that need to be kept at cold or frozen temperatures. Some examples of temperature-controlled items include chilled or frozen foods (such as dairy products that could spoil if kept in warm conditions), flowers that are liable to wilting, and pharmaceutical and medical supplies.

At best, if these products are not temperature-controlled they may decrease in quality or become less effective. At worse, it could lead to severe health problems and liabilities for the supplier. This is why procuring reliable temperature-controlled haulage is so important.

How Temp-Controlled Transport Works

Temperature-controlled transport can take the form of refrigerated vehicles, such as MI Transport’s Arctic lorry, and/or temperature-controlled packaging which uses insulation, cold-packs or electric refrigeration to maintain a consistent temperature. Most temperature-controlled goods are kept between 2 and 8oC to ensure the quality of the goods is not compromised.

Temperature controlled transport for goods

There are areas of the transportation process that pose risks to temperature-controlled goods. If the goods are temporarily stored in warehouses without refrigeration, the shipments take a long time to be unloaded, or if there are delays during transportation with unrefrigerated vehicles, this can compromise the temperature of the products.

To combat this, there are legal standards and regulations that must be abided when shipping temperature-controlled goods.

These include:

  • Setting operational directives for all parties involved in transportation
  • Constructing a smooth and effective transport network that maintains temperature-controlled conditions
  • Maintaining appropriate handling of temperature-controlled items (including during inspection)
  • Monitoring the temperature and location of the cold chain shipping containers.

At MI Transport, we can provide a refrigerated lorry with a max weight of 26,000kg, allowing us to assist with even very large deliveries. We also pride ourselves on our quick service and adaptability, so you can rely on us to deliver your goods at the optimal temperature and right on time.

To learn more about our refrigerated logistics and other haulage services, get in touch by emailing  info@mitransportltd.co.uk.