Northern Ireland logistics company’s explosive detection dogs service showcased in ITV series
Belfast’s Speedlink International Logistics’ FREDDs service to feature in ‘Dogs with Jobs’
Northern Ireland logistics company, Speedlink, is showcasing its specialist Free Running Explosive Detection Dogs (FREDDs) service as part of the upcoming ITV series, ‘Dogs with Jobs’.
The hit show is offering a behind-the-scenes look at the remarkable air cargo screening process that is being utilised by companies across the island of Ireland.
The Belfast and Dublin-based company, which specialises in international courier services for urgent deliveries globally, will feature in the six-part series, which began on last month, with their episode airing this Thursday (September 12) at 8:30pm.
The programme will shed a light on ‘FREDDs’, a unique and highly effective screening solution, which uses specially trained dogs to detect a wide range of explosive materials, including traditional and homemade explosives, amongst air cargo.
Director of Speedlink, David Rogers, said: “We were delighted to feature in ITV’s ‘Dogs with Jobs’ series and look forward to the episode being broadcast. FREDDs really is a remarkable service. It offers a host of benefits for exporters but particularly, it is a much quicker and more cost-effective service that shortens the supply chain process.
“Security vigilance across the aviation sector is imperative at all times. Our customers have the assurance that all our known hauliers and suppliers have been screened and security checked, and are compliant with all regulations required for shipping.
"We also guarantee that the product will go onto the flight as booked with the only thing preventing that from happening being if the flight has not been cleared for take-off. This is evidenced through our stats that within the last two years, FREDDs has cleared up to 300 tonnes worth of freight that has flown as booked.”
Speedlink International Logistics is the only company on the island of Ireland to offer the FREDDs cargo screening, and Belfast International Airport is the only regional airport in the UK and the island of Ireland to offer the service.
The dogs, which undergo a rigorous training programme set out by the UK government, have an unparalleled sense of smell and have the unique ability to sniff out odours in parts-per-trillion, making this an unrivalled reliable service.
Approved by the European Commission, Department of Transport and UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and certified under the National Aviation Security Programme (NASP), FREDDs, which can screen up to 100 tonnes of cargo per hour, is a more timely and cost-effective screening service for exporters, and can shave up to three days off the traditional screening and shipping process.
There are no delays in offloading cargo into warehouses or onto an aircraft, a process that is bypassed thanks to the service already having security clearance, and all cargo is loaded directly onto the aircraft by the airline handlers.
Offering further reassurance about the high-quality of service offered by Speedlink, and unlike traditional screening processes, FREDDs does not require the consignment to be opened. The dogs are able to move around the cargo to conduct the search without interfering with the sort process, freight environment or compromising the integrity of the shipment. This ensures that the package arrives with the end customer in the exact condition that it was sent.
Speedlink’s FREDDs service has been operational at Belfast International Airport since 2021. The service is being utilised by many exporters across the island of Ireland, with the company offering an environmentally friendly and complete one-stop-shop solution from consignment pickup to delivery to a global customer base.
Established in 1990, Speedlink counts many of the leading aerospace, engineering, pharmaceutical and defence companies amongst its growing customer base. Operating a 24/7 service, it offers a comprehensive range of services including customs clearance, EU-wide groupage and direct drive, warehousing and storage facilities, express road freight and real-time shipment monitoring.