DHL to design and deliver uniforms for Met Police

It may not initially make much sense that DHL, a courier company, will be designing the new Metropolitan Police Service uniforms in the UK. But this is part of a contract that DHL has just made with the Met, which also includes the procurement and delivery of these uniforms.

In official terms, the company has been tasked with delivering the National Uniform Managed Service (NUMS). In the words of DHL, “our logistics and procurement expertise allows us to manage the supply chain end-to-end for ultimate efficiency. The contract also required very specific expertise, in the form of design.”

For this purpose, they will be bringing in a uniform design specialist who has worked with major brands. The improvements are not merely cosmetic, though: they are planned for body armour and equipment capacity, for example.

The idea is to centralise uniform management—essentially a logistics issue, it seems—in order to drive down costs and improve quality. DHL boasts “vendor neutrality”, which means that they will engage transparently with only the best and most cost-efficient suppliers.

The deal may also set the ball rolling for similar contracts with other public sector bodies.

(Source: Logistics Manager)