Part of global logistics leader Rhenus Group, Rhenus Home Delivery UK is one of the fastest-growing players in furniture fulfilment, offering everything from transport and warehousing solutions to customs clearance – and increasingly finding favour with the nation’s rolled and boxed mattress brands …
2021 was a big year for Rhenus Home Delivery in the UK. As well as overcoming the significant challenges presented by Brexit, Covid-19 and overwhelming demand for furniture fulfilment, the business took on numerous ecommerce and national accounts, opened a purpose-built 55,000 sqft distribution centre in Leighton Buzzard, launched its own training school for driver crews, and was voted Best Fulfilment/Transport Provider by Furniture News’ readers.
Indeed, Rhenus has fast become the fulfilment partner of choice for much of the UK industry – not least of which, the growing rolled and boxed mattress segment. Drawing on 15 years of bed delivery experience, Rhenus offers suppliers working in this space a unique package that combines full UK coverage, efficiency, speed to market and sustainable practices – making it undeniably attractive to today’s progressive bed brands, both D2C and B2B.
“Customer experience is paramount,” says Rhenus Home Delivery UK’s sales director, Gavin Boden. “Many carriers promise ‘next-day’ delivery that ends up being more like 3-4 days in reality, and only delivered onto the customers doorstep. At Rhenus, as soon as we have the mattress, we’ll normally get it to the customer’s bedroom within 2-3 days.”
Each mattress is delivered to the customer’s room of choice, unwrapped and expanded, and placed on its base, ready for use.
“Each delivery requires a two-person team,” Gavin continues, “as these models are getting heavier the better they’re engineered! A lot more customers want delivery to their room of choice these days, and while it doesn’t take two people to get a mattress to the door, the rest of the job requires some heft, as these mattresses can weight up to 70kg each.”
But the service does not stop there. As well as taking any rubbish away, Rhenus’ highly trained teams can also remove the old mattress. These are then dispatched to The Furniture Recycling Group, to make the most of any reusable elements.
“Not many couriers offer a fully cyclical service, but it’s something more and more customers are asking for,” says Gavin, “and recycling is very important to Rhenus as a group.” As well as being fully certified, offering eco-friendly packaging options and continually working behind the scenes to improve its sustainable credentials, the German group owns Remondis, one of the world’s largest recycling companies, which unavoidably influences its approach in other territories.
Whether it is executing a mattress’ final mile or helping give it a new lease of life, Rhenus proudly offers rolled and boxed mattress specialists a service they can trust, says Gavin: “We understand the industry, and are passionate about delivering a fantastic customer experience. We’re not just delivering furniture – we are delivering people’s dreams, every day.”
Gavin closes by hinting at big plans in the pipeline for 2022 …
