Unipart is positioning itself as a sustainability, packaging and localisation partner for the UK automotive supply chain, reflecting a wider shift away from transactional logistics relationships toward integrated, circular and resilience-focused partnerships. Ahead of Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain UK 2026, Lucie Dobeer, executive outreach director at Unipart, highlighted how sustainability has moved from a secondary topic to a strategic priority for automotive manufacturers and suppliers.

The discussion is especially relevant for packaging because automotive supply chains rely heavily on protective, returnable and highly coordinated packaging systems. Parts, components and batteries must move safely through complex networks while minimising damage, cost and waste. As OEMs face pressure to reduce emissions, improve resilience and localise operations, packaging is becoming part of the strategic conversation rather than a purely operational detail.

According to Unipart, OEMs are increasingly reassessing supplier relationships based on sustainability capabilities. Circular economy initiatives such as remanufacturing, repurposing and reusable packaging are becoming more important as automotive companies look for partners that can help them reduce single-use materials and redesign flows across the supply chain.

Automotive packaging is moving from a cost-control function to a circular logistics tool that supports sustainability, localisation and supply chain resilience.

Unipart’s message is built around an integrated model: “we make it, we move it, and we improve it.” Over the past 18 months, the company has reorganised globally, bringing consultancy, manufacturing, logistics and rail operations into a single business structure. This integration is intended to help OEMs work with fewer, more capable partners across manufacturing, logistics, packaging and continuous improvement.

One of the key examples is Unipart’s reusable packaging work with Cummins. The partnership focuses on eliminating single-use packaging and moving reusable, foldable packaging assets through a closed-loop system. In this model, packaging is returned, cleaned, checked and tracked through Unipart-operated facilities before being placed back into circulation.

• Reusable packaging reduces dependence on single-use materials in automotive logistics.
• Closed-loop systems require collection, cleaning, inspection and tracking infrastructure.
• Localisation can shorten supply chains and reduce exposure to tariffs and disruption.
• Integrated partnerships support sustainability goals beyond individual logistics transactions.

The Cummins project shows that reusable packaging only works when the wider system is designed around it. A returnable packaging asset must be durable, foldable, trackable and easy to clean. It must also fit into warehouse operations, transport flows and supplier routines. Without the right reverse logistics, even well-designed reusable packaging can become costly or difficult to manage.

This is why packaging is increasingly being discussed alongside localisation and resilience. Geopolitical uncertainty, tariff pressure and shipping instability are encouraging automotive companies to examine where parts are manufactured, how they are transported and what packaging systems support those flows. Local manufacturing and regional supply chains can reduce exposure to long-distance disruption, but they still require efficient packaging management.

The arrival of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers in the UK and Europe is adding another layer of opportunity. Brands such as BYD, Omoda and Jaecoo are scaling their aftersales and logistics operations, creating demand for partners that can provide localised support, service parts capability, packaging systems and supply chain know-how. For a company such as Unipart, this creates a chance to support new OEMs entering the market with integrated logistics and packaging solutions.

The automotive sector is also changing because sustainability can no longer be separated from cost and performance. Reusable packaging may reduce material waste, but it must also deliver measurable operational benefits. Foldable assets can reduce empty return volume, tracking can improve visibility, and standardised handling can reduce damage and labour inefficiency.

For packaging suppliers, the trend points to a more service-based model. Instead of simply selling packaging units, companies may increasingly manage packaging pools, cleaning operations, asset tracking, maintenance and performance data. This turns packaging into an operational platform that supports circularity and supply chain control.

Unipart’s participation in Automotive Logistics & Supply Chain UK 2026, where it will present with Cummins, reflects this broader industry direction. The focus is not only on packaging materials, but on how reusable packaging can change supply chain design. The most successful solutions will be those that combine durability, reverse logistics, data, cleaning and commercial viability.

As the UK automotive market adapts to electrification, new entrants and supply chain volatility, packaging will play a growing role in localisation and sustainability strategies. Reusable and trackable systems can help reduce waste while giving OEMs greater control over logistics flows. In that context, packaging is becoming a visible part of the automotive industry’s transition toward more circular, resilient and integrated supply chains.