Secure and specialised transportation of automotive components

When a spare part fails to arrive on time, the consequence is immediate: unplanned downtime. In 2025, it’s estimated that unplanned downtime in the UK and Europe will hit €12-14 billion. This is why a specialised approach to automotive logistics is non-negotiable.

The critical nature of the automotive supply chain

The success of any automotive logistics system, whether centred on Just in Time (JIT), Just in Sequence (JIS), or a hybrid lean-agile model, relies entirely on a foundation of reliable transportation. Any supply chain disruptions can instantly snowball, impacting the entire chain from raw materials to the delivery of finished vehicles.

Our automotive logistics services are built around this need for precise and resilient deliveries. We transport all types of automotive components, including high-value, fragile parts that require specialist equipment and careful planning. Our goal is to ensure the continuous, efficient flow of automotive parts into the production process and onward to the aftermarket, supporting whatever supply chain principles our clients adopt.

Specialised logistics solutions for automotive components

The transportation of automotive components demands expertise that standard freight logistics services cannot provide. We offer final mile logistics solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the automotive industry:

Time-critical logistics

A delayed shipment of vehicle parts can stop a production line for minutes, hours or days. Our services focus on hyper-efficient distribution and prompt delivery to ensure this doesn’t happen.

By:NIGHT 

By:NIGHT (or in-night) logistics guarantees a pre-8:00 am delivery to ensure that your engineers have the parts they need to keep production going.

By:DEMAND

Our By:DEMAND service is where we jump into action to deliver your parts to any destination at any time. With our 15-minute resolution time (from enquiry to booking), our team can handle any ad hoc requests quickly.

We utilise an optimised fleet of trucks and vehicles to ensure efficient transport with the shortest possible transit times and routes, to keep production on track.

International capabilities with local expertise

The automotive supply chain is global, involving manufacturers and suppliers across continents. Managing the transportation of automotive components across borders requires deep expertise in international logistics.

Customs clearance

Our dedicated team ensures seamless customs clearance for cross-border transport, navigating complex and varying regulations to ensure your cargo reaches its destination without delay.

Multimodal options

We offer solutions utilising road, air and rail transport to provide the best balance of speed and transportation costs. For instance, incorporating rail transport can be a highly efficient alternative for vehicles and large cargo flows.

The aftermarket: Supporting maintenance and customers

The aftermarket for spare parts is where customer satisfaction is truly won or lost. This is where our expertise truly shines.

In-night delivery

Our highly specialised in-night logistics solutions ensure that car parts are delivered before business hours directly to dealerships and workshops, dramatically reducing the time needed for vehicle maintenance and repair.

Quality focus

Every aspect of our service upholds the high-quality standards required by the automotive industry. We treat every vehicle component with the utmost precision and care to reduce damage in transport while ensuring fast deliveries.

The Carousel way in action

MAN Truck & Bus reached out to us because their existing logistics setup caused delays in delivering critical spare parts. These delays disrupted dealer operations and led to costly vehicle downtime for end customers. MAN needed faster, more reliable, and flexible logistics with real-time visibility, something their previous system couldn’t provide.

We partnered with MAN in the UK & Ireland to overhaul their spare-parts supply chain. We introduced daily collections, mixed air-and-road transport, overnight delivery, a dedicated control tower, plus in-house customs.

The result: lead times cut by up to 24 hours, less vehicle downtime, faster dealer service and improved end-customer satisfaction.

Partner with Carousel for your automotive logistics

By choosing a trusted partner with proven expertise in the transportation of automotive components, you can safeguard your production output and focus your resources on quality and innovation. Our goal is to provide the automotive supply chain with the robust logistics services it needs to keep millions of vehicles moving across the UK, Europe and beyond. We are the partner that delivers critical components every single time. Get in touch to start building your tailored logistics approach.