This week, the Daily Update spoke to Phil Rees, founder of logistics consulting firm SHIPMAX, who shared his experience of supporting e-commerce businesses to enter new markets.
This includes encouraging them to consider indirect tax compliance, along with the latest technologies, to ensure they have the basics in place before exporting, and fielding additional queries or unbudgeted costs in an era of increasing trade barriers.
Founding SHIPMAX
After leaving his role as commercial director at logistics provider Overseas Courier Service (OCS) Worldwide in October 2023, Rees founded SHIPMAX and began consulting, thinking it would be an interim endeavour, while figuring out his next career steps.
However, the success of his consultancy work and increasing demand from businesses needing support on logistics and supply chain matters led him to expand the business in 2025.
“In my mind, it was just a six-month interim thing,” he explains, “then I could go and get a proper job”.
“But the consultancy business took off pretty quickly and here I am taking an office and beginning to build a team”.
Trade ‘matchmaker’
Having built his logistics expertise over two decades, along with a lengthy contact book, Rees describes himself as a global trade “matchmaker”, uniting firms that want to work with solutions providers across a variety of market sectors and geographies.
Clients include smaller start-up firms, “bootstrapped businesses that are just beginning their journey”, through to well-established, “successful brands and solution providers who already have large teams in place but need some specialist external support”.
Solutions can vary from freight and cargo, “cutting across all modes of transport,” to customs advice and tailored logistical solutions offered by warehousing and third-party logistics (3PL) providers.
Value of warehousing…
Rees says that warehousing systems providers (WMS) and finding reliable third party logistics (3PL) or fourth party logistics (4PL) partners “in country” are areas he often advises on. Having built a pick and pack operation from scratch and overseen the development of a fulfilment manager to set up a Midlands-based pick and pack warehouse while still at OCS Worldwide.
He recommends that internationally expanding firms operating in multiple markets investigate whether they could benefit from engaging a 4PL partner for their expansion.
“A 4PL provider is a good option for medium-size brands that are looking to hold stock in multiple territories and minimise their exposure to tariffs,” he says, “The advantage of having a single partner like that is that, instead of having three portals with different subsets of your inventory sat within [different systems], it’s all with one entity and managed on a single platform globally.”
“They can give retailers a single window into their entire inventory, regardless of whether that inventory is held in one geography or across multiple geographies.”
… and bonded warehouses
Rees adds that in the current climate, amid US tariff threats and increased customs scrutiny, more companies should be exploring the opportunities afforded by bonded warehouses, which allow goods to be stored duty-free after importation before they’re re-exported.
Rees says these duty savings could be a “tangible benefit” to many businesses with longer supply chains.
“If you're bringing your product into the UK from India, China, Portugal, wherever the case may be, you’re not paying import duty into GB when ultimately selling the goods to US or EU consumers”.
Unfortunately, he adds that many companies “don't actually realise how [they] would benefit”, and exploring bonded warehouse options often sits in the “too difficult” or “do later” box.
Rees encourages interested firms to ‘watch this space’, as he’s currently collaborating with experts in the area, creating a “deep dive” look at the benefits of bonded warehouses, who should consider it and the next steps to take.
Get your basics right
Rees reports that many small firms still don’t consider the customs aspects of moving goods overseas. Many companies selling internationally for the first time research transport and approach him for good freight rates, without understanding the customs steps involved.
“Obviously, there's a tonne of stuff we need to organise first before we even go looking [at transport]”, he says.
Some common oversights he encounters include not understanding the VAT and duty landscape of the country the brand or retailer is intending to ship to or paying these taxes twice through misunderstanding the rules.
Rees says that education is key and that it’s important that firms are up to “a certain level of understanding” ahead of entering new markets.
Government support
One source of knowledge he recommends is government support programmes. Rees explains that he’s been a mentor to other businesses as part of Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme, which supports high growth and rapidly expanding Welsh firms, including SMEs and even those at the pre-revenue stage.
He says the programme includes about 80 coaches, each with their own “backgrounds and specialisms”, primed to offer solutions to any problems businesses raise as they work towards growth.
“There are experts in legal, finance, marketing, HR, you name it. I tend to deal with the e-commerce and supply chain questions that arise.
“It ultimately means that I get to support a Welsh business with whatever challenge they have… it's something that I really enjoy.”
In addition to smaller and pre-revenue firms, Rees says he’s also supported firms that are “quite well-established”, so it’s always worth considering what government support is available to help your business grow.
Training
Another bedrock of building trade knowledge is formal training in the basics. Rees says he looks forward to exploring the Chartered Institute’s suite of training courses, particularly as he grows his own business.
Amid increased demands for his services, he’s currently searching for a business operations manager and interns from University Trinity Saint David, Swansea where SHIPMAX is based, adding that he’s “planning to use training courses to bring my team up to speed with the basics of cross-border trade”.
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