Heathrow Airport –
Business Resilience Research

The Challenge

Heathrow Airport operates two consolidation and logistics centres – the Heathrow Consolidation Centre and the Colnbrook Logistics Centre. Both of these facilities provide logistics operations for Heathrow airport, which are contracted out to third parties. We were asked to carry out a detailed study to assess the business resilience of this arrangement, and then to produce a report identifying the key risks, and the short and medium term solutions for their mitigation – including suggested process trials in alternative operating facilities, and improved communications processes.

The Solution

We undertook studies with all of the key stakeholders, including process mapping, identification of critical assets and the creation of comprehensive risk registers. This involved using Agreed Probability and quantified Impact Measures to rate the different risks – and we also organised brainstorming workshops to determine feasible options for mitigating the key risks to acceptable residual levels. Where further mitigations were required, we proposed a range of people, process, systems and infrastructure options – and stakeholder workshops were then used to ratify these recommendations.

“I have worked with the ABC team at Heathrow on numerous projects over the last nine years. They have played a key part in the successful execution and implementation of a number of new facilities and systems. The team are always helpful, proactive and capable, offering great support and a ‘can do’ approach. They engage with the other supply chain partners very well, and assist greatly in working with stakeholders and ensuring smooth delivery – a valued Heathrow service provider.”

Darren Colderwood

Development Director, Heathrow Airport Limited