When people think of Heathrow, the focus is often on passenger travel. However, the airport plays an equally important role in moving goods around the world, supporting a network of freight companies, transport operators, warehouses and industrial businesses across West London and the surrounding areas.
In 2025, £293 billion worth of goods passed through Heathrow, representing more than a quarter of the UK’s total trade by value. Its position as a major international cargo hub supports businesses across a wide range of industries, from pharmaceuticals and technology to manufacturing and retail.
Behind these operations is a workforce responsible for ensuring goods are processed, stored, transported and delivered on time. For employers, recruiting people with the right skills and experience is an essential part of keeping that supply chain moving.
The roles that keep freight moving
Air freight is a time-sensitive industry. Shipments must be coordinated across different locations, documentation needs to be accurate and delays can have a knock-on effect throughout the supply chain.
This creates demand for a broad mix of roles, including import and export clerks, freight forwarders, transport planners, logistics coordinators and customs specialists. Warehouse teams, drivers and cargo handlers are equally important to ensure goods move efficiently between aircraft, storage facilities and their final destinations.
Many of these positions require previous industry experience, particularly where employees are responsible for customs documentation, international shipping procedures or time-critical deliveries. However in some cases there is scope for candidates with strong organisational, administrative or customer service skills to move into logistics.
It is important for employers to have an understanding of the requirements so they can recruit efficiently without overlooking candidates who could bring valuable transferable experience.
Industrial and logistics businesses beyond the airport
Heathrow’s influence extends well beyond the airport itself. The surrounding areas of Hayes, Feltham, Hounslow, West Drayton and Colnbrook form part of a wider network of industrial estates, distribution centres and logistics facilities.
These locations support businesses involved in warehousing, manufacturing, engineering, wholesale distribution and road transport. Their recruitment needs can look very different from those of an air freight operator, even though their operations may be closely connected.
A distribution business might need additional warehouse staff to manage stock movements, while a manufacturer could be searching for production operatives, maintenance engineers or quality control specialists. Transport companies may require planners and fleet coordinators, while growing businesses need finance, HR and administrative support to manage their day-to-day operations.
For recruitment, this means understanding the environment a candidate will be working in, rather than simply matching a CV to a job title.
Why recruitment can be challenging in this sector
Freight and industrial businesses often operate to demanding schedules. Deliveries cannot always wait for office hours, warehouse operations may run across several shifts and staffing requirements can change as workloads fluctuate.
For employers, this can make recruitment particularly challenging. A vacancy that remains unfilled may place additional pressure on existing employees, impact productivity or make it harder to meet delivery commitments.
There are also practical considerations when recruiting for these environments. Shift availability, travel arrangements, relevant licences, technical knowledge and experience with particular systems can all influence whether someone is suitable for a role.
In specialist freight positions, finding candidates who already understand the industry can be especially important. For other vacancies, a wider search that considers transferable skills may help employers reach people with the right potential.
Transparency around working hours, pay and responsibility from the outset can help attract candidates whose expectations match the role.
Finding the right balance between experience and potential
One of the challenges for employers is deciding when direct industry experience is essential and when transferable skills are enough.
For example, an experienced freight forwarder may bring an immediate understanding of shipping processes and documentation. However, a candidate with a background in customer service, administration or transport coordination may already have many of the skills needed for a more entry level logistics position.
The same applies across industrial operations. Previous warehouse experience can be valuable, but reliability, attention to detail, teamwork and the ability to follow procedures are also important.
Taking a broader view of candidate experience can help businesses reach a wider talent pool, particularly when suitable applicants are difficult to find. It can also create opportunities for people looking to build a career in a new industry with a variety of operational and professional pathways.
Keeping businesses moving through recruitment
The Heathrow area depends on a wide range of people working together, from warehouse teams and transport planners to freight specialists and commercial support staff. Each role contributes to the wider operation, and gaps in staffing can affect more than one part of the business.
For employers, recruitment is about understanding where the pressure points are, identifying the essential requirements and finding people who can contribute to the operation.
At March Recruitment, we recognise that every vacancy comes with different requirements. If a business needs additional operational support or are particularly specialised, we take the time to understand the role and the working environment which creates a more focused recruitment process.
In an industry built around timing, coordination and reliability, having the right people in place is fundamental to keeping goods and businesses moving.
