Freightliner
(Genesee & Wyoming)
Delivering on G&W’s £25 Million Operating and Digital Transformation
At a glance
Sector: Rail Freight, Logistics & Transport
Team Size: Large enterprise
Sites: Multiple UK terminals (nationwide rollout + new National Operating Centre)
Project Duration: 33 months (discovery implementation), & ongoing partnership and support
Summit Services: Business Transformation and Business Consultancy
Key Results:
- £10m efficiency savings to date
- 66% reduction in truck turnaround times
- 16% more rail capacity
- 10% increase in storage capacity
- 90% of gate visits fully automated
- 300k fewer lifts annually at Birmingham terminal
- 3.9m kg CO₂ emissions saved
Background & Context
When Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) acquired Freightliner and Pentalver, it created a major logistics group spanning rail, terminals, and road transport. But with that scale came inherited systems that didn’t talk to each other, manual processes across multiple sites, and limited operational visibility.
Summit had already been supporting Freightliner in a CFO capacity, giving the business greater financial clarity and stability through the transition. As we dug deeper into the numbers, it became clear that the real barriers to growth weren’t just financial, they were operational and digital. Their tech stack simply wasn’t built for a business of this size.
Craig led a full review of their systems and processes, shaping a clear vision of what a fully connected, automated logistics network could look like. To turn that vision into a deliverable , Craig formed a team of 30 people together with seven technology global vendors to manage a 3 year transformation program. Our sister company Bentley Compton was a key contributor to that project, and has since undertaken other transformation programs in the logistics industry.
Together, we built the roadmap, proved the case for change, and secured a £25 million investment to deliver it, resulting in a streamlined, technology-led operation that’s faster, greener, and more efficient than ever, all delivered under budget.
The Challenges
Disconnected rail, terminal & road systems with poor data visibility.
Long truck turnaround times creating congestion and delays.
Manual, inconsistent processes across multiple UK sites.
No central coordination hub for national operations.
Pressure to improve sustainability and reduce emissions, fast.
Goals & Our Approach
The goal: Cut average turnaround time to 30 minutes and create a future-proof, automated logistics system that could handle growing demand without growing pains.
Our approach:
- Spent 12 months digging deep, analysing every system, bottleneck, and process to find where time (and money) were slipping away.
- Designed a “future state” blueprint that brought automation, data, and smarter traffic flow together under one clear vision.
- Worked side by side with G&W’s leadership to secure a £25 million transformation budget.
- Rolled out a new terminal operating system giving full, real-time visibility of every container in every stack.
- Helped align teams and systems so the tech wasn’t just installed, it was adopted, owned, and embedded across the business.
Implementation Timeline
⏱ Total Duration: 33 months (from discovery to full rollout)
Phase 1:
Discovery & Design
(12 Months)
We dug into every corner of the operation to map out what “better” really looked like.
Phase 2:
Strategy & Investment
(3 Months)
We built the business case and secured the £25 million needed to make it happen.
Phase 3:
Delivery & Integration
(18 Months)
Nationwide rollout of automation and system integration – completed during a global pandemic. (Because why make it easy?)
Phase 4:
Optimisation & Training
(Ongoing)
Ongoing performance tracking, fine-tuning, and training to keep the momentum strong.
Results, Lessons & Impact
Business transformation isn’t just about installing clever tech. It’s about people, culture, and getting everyone pulling in the same direction. By combining automation with teamwork, we helped G&W not just streamline operations, but set a new benchmark for what efficiency looks like in the freight world.
