Retailers today are under immense pressure to adapt. From global disruption to sustainability demands, the supply chain is no longer just a cost centre — it’s a competitive weapon. In this session at DELIVER Europe, Jim Hartshorne, Managing Director - Commercial at Unipart, revealed how the company is helping brands navigate volatility with end-to-end innovation, automation, and agile partnerships.

From Lean to Resilient: A Shift in Mindset

Historically, retail supply chains optimised for efficiency: lean inventories, low cost, and fast throughput. But recent curveballs — from COVID-19 to geopolitical tariffs — have flipped that logic. Now, resilience and agility are top priorities.

Unipart’s approach involves not only delivering just-in-time models but preparing clients for “just-in-case” scenarios. In one example, the company rapidly pivoted production from the UK to the US to comply with new tariffs, showcasing its agility in action.

Deep Customer Integration: Visibility & Flexibility

One standout differentiator is Unipart’s ability to offer real-time visibility across global operations — down to individual parts at a dealership level. Their platform enables proactive decisions like rerouting shipments, identifying tariff-sensitive materials, or upgrading service levels with strategic precision.

🔹 Thousands of daily orders processed across Argentina, Peru, China and the UK
🔹 High 99% service levels maintained globally
🔹 Use of AI to analyse consumption patterns and optimise stock placement

Modular, Intelligent Warehousing at Scale

To support evolving needs, Unipart offers “pay-as-you-go” warehousing — ideal for distressed retailers or PE-backed transformations. By mapping demand and forecasting flexibility, they remove long-term asset burdens while still ensuring fulfilment speed and precision.

This approach is especially relevant as last-mile delivery becomes increasingly complex and costly.

Sustainability by Design

Unipart is embedding sustainability in both physical infrastructure and operational tooling. From full supply chain carbon measurement to AI-enabled warehouse energy monitoring, clients can optimise for both cost and ecological impact.

One sensor-led solution saved Unipart 11% on warehouse energy consumption, and is now sold commercially with subscription-based financing models.

Industrial Innovation Across Sectors

Unipart’s consultancy and manufacturing arms are expanding into public sector megaprojects. One NHS initiative involves standardising and industrialising hospital ward components for 29 new sites, using just-in-time techniques from automotive supply chains.

With their unique combination of product design, manufacture, and delivery, Unipart is positioning itself as a vertically integrated partner — especially in sectors like defence, healthcare, and e-commerce.

The Future of Resilient Retail

As the session closed, Hartshorne emphasised that the real differentiator lies in partnership. When logistics, product design, and operational consultancy come together, retailers can build responsive, scalable, and sustainable models to meet any challenge ahead.

“Think of supply chain resilience not as a burden,” Hartshorne concluded, “but as an opportunity to win.”