By Monica Chard
We have all heard the headline stories over the past few years; Brexit, Covid, the blocking of the Suez canal, HGV driver shortages etc, and we have all learned about “supply chains” and how they have been affected. We met recently with RIF Worldwide, a Plc with their headquar-ters in Sunbury, and heard all about how the company has been affected by all these events and how they have learned to adapt and thrive. And the good news is….they need new talent. So if you are looking for a great career, read on.
RIF is a logistics and freight company which arranges transport of goods from and to all cor-ners of the world. Scott Sully, co founder and CEO, lives in Lower Sunbury and is an avid reader of Sunbury Matters. So it was great to have the chance to get to know more about this local compa-ny and to understand the significance of logistics. It affects all of us. If you get a parcel from NEXT, the likelihood is that RIF was responsible for getting it from the factory in Asia and to you. So how has this company dealt with all the unforeseen chal-lenges of the past few years?
Firstly, as Brexit kicked in and companies were faced with the many new challenges of customs and currency, RIF kept calm and took on the tasks which were leaving many of their clients flum-moxed. For RIF, Brexit has resulted in additional growth. Rather than dealing with the red tape in the UK, created from this post Brexit world, they es-tablished a hub in the Netherlands. After only 2 years this has grown to be even larger than the UK business. This European hub has ironed out the clunky challenges of importing and exporting from the UK. Additionally, RIF invested in creating a brand new department, based in the Sunbury office, to provide road transport and customs clearance services for clients who don’t need to hold stocks of goods in the EU. “We’ve invested lots of money, but this has helped us to cover all bases. Now, we are one of UK’s fastest-growing companies, with a multiple-award-winning service” says Scott.
The grounding of the Ever Given container ship in the Suez canal earlier this year provided another headache. RIF had 30 containers stuck for 2 months while the ship was freed and while the insurers argued about who was liable. So keeping clients informed, calm and happy is an important role of the RIF team.
Covid caused not only staffing challenges, but flights were cancelled everywhere and impacted hugely on imports and exports. But at RIF it is all about finding solutions. If there is a problem, they find a way around it. We all take so much for granted, but it is only the expertise of a company such as RIF that we get goods delivered and that supply chains run smoothly.
With the continuing need to provide transport of goods from around the world and deal with the logistics of import, RIF is growing. By the end of 2022 they anticipate turning over £100 million. Sunbury is indeed home to some significant com-panies. RIF Worldwide is looking for new talent. From apprenticeships and entry level, where full training is provided, to roles for more mature and experienced admin clerks and data analysts.
As well as being a big and growing company, RIF offers employees a caring and fun environment. Scott prides himself on man management and the impression we got during our visit was of a happy ship. There is an outdoor space where colleagues can socialise in a safe environment. There is a so-cial indoor space too, with a pool table and indoor basket ball net. The company encourages fund raising for a monthly nominated charity and every one gets involved.
So why not look into a role within a company that is literally “going places”! RIF has 8 offices all in different UK and Dutch locations, so many people in the organisation seek opportunities to move around and experience new challenges. The Sun-bury office is the global HQ and Scott knows there is lots of talent in Sunbury so he is keen to hear from people who want to join RIF to develop and grow.