This month marks 10 years since Firstpoint Logistics was founded.
Founded by Chris Standeven in October 2016, Firstpoint has spent the last decade growing, evolving and building on the foundations of the original business. What began as a small operation has developed into an established logistics partner, with a wider range of services, its own technology, stronger systems and long-standing customer relationships.
While much has changed over the last 10 years, the commitment to providing reliable, personal service has remained at the heart of Firstpoint.
Over the last decade, Firstpoint has evolved across every area of the business. Its customer base has expanded, long-standing partnerships have strengthened and its service capabilities have developed to meet increasingly complex logistics requirements.
Alongside that growth, Firstpoint has made significant investments in technology, operational infrastructure and commercial development, including the introduction of more structured sales processes and an expanded leadership team.
The result is a more mature, resilient and capable logistics business, with greater operational visibility, stronger commercial foundations and the expertise to support its continued growth and expansion.
As Firstpoint celebrates its 10-year anniversary, we are looking back at the milestones, investments and decisions that have shaped the company into the business it is today.
Those early years created the platform for the next stage of Firstpoint’s development, as the business began to strengthen its operation, customer relationships and wider capabilities.
Firstpoint began building significant customer relationships from the outset. In 2016, the business secured Matthew Clark as an early major customer, demonstrating the level of service and capability Firstpoint was already beginning to establish.
As the operation grew, Firstpoint began developing a wider network of trusted transport partners, allowing the business to support an expanding range of customer requirements.
Drawing on his previous experience in the logistics industry, Chris understood that strong partnerships were fundamental to delivering a consistently reliable service. Treating partners fairly, communicating clearly and maintaining high standards became important principles in how Firstpoint built and developed its operation.
These foundations helped the business expand its capabilities while retaining the personal service and accountability that had been central from the beginning.
In 2019, Firstpoint began working with one of its major customers, a relationship that continues seven years later. That same year, the business achieved ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems certification, formalising its approach to environmental responsibility.
This period also marked an important change in how Firstpoint presented itself. Five years after the business was founded, Firstpoint underwent a complete rebrand, introducing a new logo and visual identity alongside a redesigned office to better reflect the business it had become.
2020 became an important inflection point in Firstpoint’s development.
COVID-19 created significant disruption across the operating environment, but it also prompted the business to look closely at how its systems, processes and technology could support a larger and more connected operation.
At the time, information and processes were spread across multiple systems. As Firstpoint developed, the limitations of that fragmented approach became increasingly clear.
Rather than simply returning to the way things had been done before, Firstpoint made the decision to invest in its own technology.
The ambition to develop a connected logistics platform had been part of Chris's vision since founding the business in 2016. He wanted to bring drivers, vehicles, transport partners and operational information together in one system, creating a more connected way to manage dedicated deliveries across the UK and Europe.
In May 2020, Firstpoint began working with Amdaris to develop proprietary logistics technology, with the aim of bringing more of its operational processes, information and customer visibility into one connected environment.
What followed was a two-year technology project that would become one of the most significant developments in Firstpoint’s first decade.
As Firstpoint grew, so did customer expectations. Businesses increasingly wanted greater visibility over their deliveries, clearer communication and easier access to live information.
In April 2022, Firstpoint launched Onepoint, its purpose-built logistics platform.
Developed around both customer and operational requirements, the platform brought more of the delivery journey into one connected environment and gave Firstpoint greater control over how information moved through the business. Today, customers can access live tracking and ETAs, proof of collection and delivery, signatures and images, notifications, chain of custody information and reporting.
For the Firstpoint team, the platform has also created a more connected way to manage live deliveries, with better access to the information needed throughout each job.
Most importantly, Onepoint was never designed to replace personal service. It was built to support it, combining better technology and visibility with the proactive communication and operational support Firstpoint customers rely on.
By 2023, Firstpoint had entered a new stage of its development. Growth was still important, but so was building the structure, systems and culture needed to support a more established business.
That year, Firstpoint achieved Investors in People Gold, recognising the work being done to develop the team and strengthen the culture across the business.
In 2024, Firstpoint introduced a new ESG strategy, building on the environmental commitments already in place. A new website followed that summer, reflecting the broader range of services, industries and capabilities the business had developed.
Behind the scenes, the commercial side of Firstpoint was evolving too. A dedicated CRM was built to bring together sales, marketing and customer information, while greater use of automation, reporting and data helped create clearer processes and a more connected approach across the business.
The team continued to grow across operations, account management, product, finance, sales and marketing, adding greater expertise and structure as Firstpoint developed.
With stronger systems, proprietary technology and a more developed commercial infrastructure in place, Firstpoint entered a period of significant growth.
Based on projected figures for FY27, Firstpoint is on track to achieve over 250% growth across four years, reflecting the continued expansion of its customer base, capabilities and expertise across the business.
Importantly, that growth has been supported by strong customer retention. Firstpoint’s average customer lifetime now exceeds five years, with a customer retention rate of 85%, reflecting the long-term relationships, trust and loyalty built through the service.
As the business grew, the focus increasingly shifted towards building the structure needed to support greater scale. This included developing a more formal sales and marketing engine, strengthening internal processes and investing further in data, automation and commercial capability.
The leadership structure evolved significantly too. Recognising the need for greater senior-level expertise and clearer accountability, Firstpoint established a board-level senior leadership team, bringing together a Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Finance Director, Operations Director and Head of Product.
In 2026, founder Chris Standeven moved into the role of Chief Executive Officer, while Geoffrey Finlay joined Firstpoint as Non-Executive Chairman and investor. Geoffrey brought extensive experience in building, scaling and exiting technology-led businesses across international markets, adding further strategic expertise as Firstpoint prepared for its next stage of development.
These appointments marked an important milestone in Firstpoint's evolution, bringing greater depth of leadership, commercial experience and strategic expertise across the business.
Firstpoint's commitment to high standards was further demonstrated in 2026, when the company was re-awarded Investors in People Gold and achieved Cyber Essentials certification, reflecting its continued investment in people, processes and technology.
By the end of its first decade, Firstpoint had developed into a significantly more mature and structured organisation, with proprietary technology, an established commercial engine, a board-level leadership team and the infrastructure required to support long-term ambitions.
Firstpoint looks very different today from the business that started in 2016.
The team has grown, the technology is more advanced and the operation is far more connected. But the core of the service has remained the same.
When a delivery matters, customers still want clear communication, proactive updates and confidence that someone is taking ownership of it.
That commitment to service, accountability and strong relationships has remained central to Firstpoint throughout the last 10 years.
Ten years on, Firstpoint has grown into an established logistics business, built on long-standing customer relationships, experienced people and a continued commitment to delivering a reliable, personal service.
Looking ahead, our ambitions remain as strong as ever. We'll continue investing in our people, technology and capabilities, finding new ways to support our customers and meet the changing demands of the businesses we work with.
As we celebrate this milestone, we also want to recognise the people who have made it possible. To our customers, colleagues, suppliers and partners, past and present, thank you for being part of Firstpoint's journey.