Freightliner : Innovation in Motion

Proudly turning knowledge, ideas, and technology into pioneering logistics solutions, Freightliner is an unparalleled industry stalwart. We put on our conductor’s hat and embark on a journey with Nick Matthews, COO, to learn more about the organisation.

INNOVATION IN MOTION

As the largest maritime intermodal operator in the UK and a multi-award-winning provider of logistics solutions, Freightliner has made a name for itself and its services as one of the most sustainable, efficient, and advanced within the entire industry.

Through dedication, expertise, and ever-evolving rail and logistics solutions, the company is committed to getting the job done safely and responsibly, allowing businesses to rely on Freightliner when needed most.

The combination of the company’s locomotive fleet, strategically-located UK terminals, and road vehicles allows for the sustainable and seamless journey of goods. Freightliner operates over 30 different rail freight routes running almost 400 services per week, moving over a million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually.

“Our operations are broad, and often people don’t realise we don’t just move containers – we also operate night trunking services for large distribution companies, have a specialist haulage team, and a cargo handling team,” introduces Nick Matthews, COO.

“Our client base is varied – we support all the major shipping lines as well as freight forwarders, individuals, and beneficial cargo owners (BCOs). We can support and move goods for anyone, regardless of business size.”

Recently, in 2025, Freightliner celebrated its 60th anniversary. To honour this achievement, the company reflected on its rich history and continuous innovation. What started as a division of British Rail – as the first operator of container trains within the UK – soon developed into a deep-sea freight intermodal business offering its own end-to-end proposition.

“Building a reputation for reliable service that meets specific customer needs and delivers great supply chain efficiencies has been key to our success. Six decades on, we are still laser-focused on delivering for our customers and ensuring they get the best possible service,” expands Matthews.

This anniversary was also an excellent opportunity to celebrate the people who make Freightliner, as achieving this milestone would be impossible without those who deliver daily, ensuring customers are provided with reliable, efficient, and safe services.

THE INDUSTRY STANDARD

With his career in the supply chain industry beginning in the late 1990s, Matthews first joined Taylor Barnard Container Services in Felixstowe, which acted as an introduction to containerised freight and the broader supply chain landscape.

From there, he moved to other companies, gaining exposure across several functions before being offered the opportunity to relocate to Cape Town, South Africa, in the role of International Transport Manager.

Eventually moving back to the UK, Matthews stepped into the role of COO for Freightliner in 2024, assuming accountability across all operations, including rail and road transportation terminal operations, alongside health, safety, and workforce welfare.

“Inadvertently, I fell into the industry – but the variety, complexity, relationships, and opportunity it offered kept me here,” he comments.

The business differentiates itself through a variety of means, including its ability to provide end-to-end services for customers whilst owning all assets critical to ensuring reliability. Through constant innovation and dedication, the company manages approximately 60 percent of the intermodal rail freight market within the UK and possesses extensive rail freight path rights.

“We are an award-winning provider and have consistently been named Multimodal’s ‘Rail Freight Provider of the Year’, an award which is particularly pertinent as it is voted for by the industry and its customers,” Matthews details.

Equally, the scale of Freightliner’s services and operations allows it to move large volumes of goods quickly and efficiently. The company’s capabilities were directly seen when the Gemini Cooperation reshaped its UK port strategy, shifting container flows from Felixstowe to London Gateway.

Freightliner responded by rapidly reorganising its inland rail operations to support the change. Meeting the subsequent demand surge at London Gateway, it mobilised additional resources and doubled its daily intermodal services from the port, implementing a revised, faster train plan, and reallocated assets across the network – all of which was completed in under five months.

“The mobilisation required coordination with infrastructure providers, terminal operators, and stakeholders to ensure a seamless transition. We highlighted the effort as a testament to the capability and flexibility of our staff, network, and assets,” explains Matthews.

Freightliner is also committed to helping customers reduce carbon emissions. Rail freight is already the sustainable choice, emitting 76 percent less greenhouse gases (GHG) compared with diesel road transportation, but the company is determined to push the boundaries by operating the largest electric locomotive fleet in the market and providing customers with the option to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel.

LEADING EXPERTS ON HAND

Freightliner’s core purpose is to be the safest and most respected transportation service provider in the world.

“We believe that everyone at Freightliner has the right to get home safely after their shift – our group motto we always work to is ‘work safe, go home safe’,” asserts Matthews.

“We work tirelessly to stay at the forefront of personnel safety and welfare. Recently, we showed our dedication to our staff’s well-being by signing the Rail Safety and Standards Board’s Welfare Facilities Charter, which further reinforces our commitment to ensuring staff are provided with suitable and dignified welfare facilities.”

Customers choose to work with the company because they are confident that at Freightliner, safe working practices are non-negotiable and goods are delivered on time. The company is proud to offer ongoing safety training to ensure it remains the highest priority across all operational sites.

“Everything we do at Freightliner is underpinned by our unwavering dedication to safety,” Matthews prides.

Equally, the company currently has three key investment focus areas, including its wagon strategy, enhancing its locomotive fleet, and the expansion of its terminal business in strategic locations.

Specifically, Freightliner’s wagon strategy comprises removing a number of 60-foot (ft) platforms and replacing them with 40-ft ‘Shortliner’ wagons, allowing it to grow its commercial capability by 20 percent whilst reducing carbon emissions along the way.

Additionally, Freightliner is the freight leader in operating electric traction on the network with the Class 90 locomotives. The company is investigating if it can further enhance their fleet to reduce emissions on the network using new bi-mode locomotives.

“Furthermore, we are looking to expand our terminal operations in key locations in order to increase our volumes and grow in line with customer demand,” informs Matthews.

DELIVERING CONTINUED SUCCESS

Recently, Freightliner launched new services at Daventry – a key distribution hub within the UK. These will be used for routes often serviced by road, so the launch of the rail freight support will remove heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) from the already busy road and motorway network.

“It will help customers who have not previously used rail move towards our services, which are the more sustainable option,” Matthews expands.

“Rail freight only really works at its best when it’s backed by a smooth, efficient road operation, and the truth is our supply chain functions strongest when rail and road play to their individual strengths rather than being seen as rivals. Our ability, as Freightliner, to offer a tailored solution is important for our customers.”

The company is witnessing an increase in model shift for several reasons, the first of which is sustainability, as customers are reducing their carbon footprint by taking road miles out of the supply chain.

Secondly, there is the industry-wide problem of the increasing average age of truck drivers. To address this, Freightliner is working to attract younger people, especially younger women, to road transport.

“As an industry, we have to make these roles more attractive to future generations. That’s why rail should be seen as part of the solution, because by taking on the long-distance work, it allows the fleet to focus on shorter trips to and from terminals, which means drivers are home every night, and the job becomes a more enticing career option,” concludes Matthews.

Ultimately, as Freightliner looks ahead, it is focused on delivering customer commitments, growing its business with its customer base, and continuing to provide a fantastic customer service to all.