From Haulage to Full Logistics
Matthews Haulage Ltd was founded in 1975 and has grown from a small operation running 35cwt Bedford vans into a business positioned as a premium provider in the UK haulage market. The company expanded its footprint after moving to a 1.2-acre site in 1984, doubling facilities over time and building a reputation for top-tier service delivered at competitive prices.
The operation is underpinned by a modern fleet and a motivated management team known for going beyond the baseline to meet customer needs. That customer-centric approach is also reflected in Matthews’ role within the wider pallet distribution landscape. As a shareholder member of the Pall-Ex (UK) Ltd pallet network, Matthews Haulage supports the daily movement of up to 18,000 pallets across the UK, a scale that demands consistent operational precision.
Alongside haulage, Matthews Haulage provides secure ambient warehousing and storage, supported by modern security controls including 24/7 monitored CCTV. These facilities serve a broad range of B2B product companies across Hertfordshire and beyond, offering flexible storage arrangements for both short and long-term needs.
This combination of haulage and warehousing creates a clear mission: continue delivering dependable next-day distribution while strengthening warehouse control so service quality scales with growth. As the business prepared to move into a new warehouse, that mission sharpened. A larger, newer facility creates opportunity, but it also raises the operational bar. Systems must keep pace.
Overcoming WMS Challenges Holding The Business Back
A new warehouse needs a new operating model
The catalyst for change was Matthews Haulage’s move into a new warehouse. New facilities often reveal a critical truth: you can upgrade space, but if your processes and systems remain manual, the efficiency gains never fully land.
Matthews Haulage sought a WMS that could integrate seamlessly with their operation, improve data accuracy, and reduce manual input. The emphasis on accuracy and reduced manual entry signals a familiar challenge in warehouse operations: when information capture is delayed, inconsistent, or reliant on re-keying, errors creep in and time is lost to reconciliation.
For a business serving time-sensitive distribution demand and supporting multiple customers’ inventory needs, that becomes a limiting factor quickly.
The need for connected systems
Matthews Haulage also prioritised planned integration with Qargo TMS. Without effective integration between warehousing and transport systems, teams often end up bridging gaps with emails, spreadsheets, and duplicated data. Those workarounds do not scale well and can create friction between warehouse and transport planning.
In addition, Matthews identified integration with Xero as pivotal. Linking inventory and finance data supports faster order-to-cash workflows, reduces manual invoicing effort, and creates more consistent data between operational and financial teams.
These integration priorities show what Matthews is really solving for: a connected operation where warehouse execution, transport planning, and invoicing run from aligned information rather than disconnected tools.
Guiding Matthews Haulage Toward WMS Transformation
Why Clarus WMS
Matthews Haulage evaluated multiple options and chose Clarus WMS based on automation capability, a user-friendly interface, and the ability to customise workflows to fit operational needs.
That choice is consistent with what matters when implementing WMS in a fast-moving logistics environment. Automation reduces admin drag. A clear interface supports user adoption and process consistency. Configurable workflows help the system fit the operation, rather than forcing the operation to contort around rigid software.
Scan-to-data accuracy
A key part of Matthews’ expected improvement is the use of handheld devices and label printers, ensuring that every scan translates into immediate, accurate data capture. This directly addresses the stated goal of reducing manual input and minimising error.
In warehousing, scanning is more than a technology choice. It is a process control mechanism. It provides confirmation at the point of action, reduces transcription mistakes, and supports clearer, faster inventory truth. For Matthews, it also establishes a reliable foundation for inventory management and better decision-making.
Connected logistics and finance
The planned integration with Qargo TMS positions Matthews to align warehouse and transport operations more tightly. The planned integration with Xero supports automated invoice generation and synchronised inventory and financial data. Together, these integrations create a more streamlined operating model that reduces re-keying, improves speed, and strengthens reporting accuracy.
It is important to note that the source material states these integrations are planned and that the system has not yet been implemented. The case study should therefore frame these as expected outcomes rather than achieved results until go-live evidence exists.
Implementing The Solution: From Planning To Execution
Preparing for rollout
Although the system has not yet been implemented, the partnership is described as laying the groundwork for a successful rollout. The planned approach includes deploying WMS workflows that guide warehouse teams step by step, improving consistency and accuracy in daily execution.
This matters because early-phase WMS projects often fail when processes are unclear or when teams are left to interpret new workflows without strong system guidance. A system that prompts correct execution reduces variance, lowers training burden, and improves the likelihood of operational stability post go-live.
Automation and workflow customisation
The planned WMS approach includes automation and configurable workflows tailored to Matthews Haulage. That customisation capability is positioned as a key reason Clarus was selected, signalling that Matthews intends to implement WMS in a way that reflects its operational reality, customer mix, and service commitments.
Integration planning
Integration is described as a critical success factor. Qargo integration is planned to streamline logistics management. Xero integration is planned to sync inventory and finance, automate invoice generation, and reduce manual data entry.
Until implementation is complete, these benefits should be treated as objectives, not outcomes.
Results Achieved: WMS Success In Action
Results are future-state today
At present, the material provided describes expected outcomes rather than measured results because the system has not yet been implemented. What can be stated confidently is the intended impact: improved inventory accuracy, reduced manual input, more consistent workflow execution, and a more streamlined link between warehouse operations, transport planning, and finance through planned integrations.
A transformation framed by leadership
Matthews Haulage leadership positioned the partnership as a transformative journey, grounded in innovation, operational uplift, and integrated logistics and finance workflows.
“We are thrilled to partner with Clarus in what promises to be a transformative journey for our business. Their innovative solutions are exactly what we need to elevate our operations. The planned integration with Qargo TMS and Xero will provide us with a streamlined approach to logistics and financial management, allowing us to continue delivering exceptional services to our customers.”
– Paul Walker, Operations Director
From the guide’s perspective, Clarus framed the partnership as supporting Matthews’ next phase of growth and delivering operational value through a WMS designed for logistics management challenges.
“Matthews Haulage Ltd is a leader in the haulage industry, and we are honoured to support their next phase of growth. Our WMS is designed to meet the unique challenges of logistics management, and we are confident that our collaboration will drive substantial value for Matthews Haulage, enhancing their operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.”
– Glen Wilkinson, Clarus WMS
Client Reflections And Lessons Learned
New space needs new systems
Matthews Haulage’s story reflects a common inflection point. When a business moves into a new warehouse, it is not only expanding physical capacity. It is redefining how work must be controlled. Without a modern WMS, new space can become a larger stage for the same manual inefficiencies. With the right WMS, the move becomes a step-change in accuracy and performance.
Integration is a growth enabler
By prioritising planned integration with Qargo TMS and Xero, Matthews is showing that the future warehouse is not a standalone function. It sits inside a connected ecosystem where transport execution, inventory truth, and finance workflows need shared data. This kind of integration reduces admin, improves reporting consistency, and supports faster service delivery.
Automation protects service quality
Matthews’ focus on handheld scanning and immediate data capture is a practical reminder that automation is not only about speed. It is about reducing variance and protecting service quality, particularly in multi-customer warehouses where accuracy and consistency drive customer satisfaction.
Your Path To WMS Success
Matthews Haulage’s onboarding signals a clear intent: modernise warehouse operations to match the standards already delivered in haulage and distribution. By deploying Clarus WMS with handheld scanning, label printing, workflow automation, and planned Qargo TMS and Xero integrations, Matthews is laying the foundation for a more accurate, efficient, and connected logistics operation as it moves into a new warehouse.
If your business is expanding warehousing services, moving into new facilities, or struggling with manual data entry and disconnected systems, the lesson is direct. A cloud WMS, implemented with strong scanning discipline and integration planning, can reduce manual effort, improve accuracy, and streamline the path from warehouse execution to transport planning and invoicing.
Discover how Clarus WMS can help your operation modernise warehousing, connect logistics systems, and build a scalable foundation for long-term growth.