Rich Pleeth

Founder at Fin | Logistics nerd | Making logistics smarter | Not great at much, just obsessively curious.

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

@CharlieUK98 That’s a cloud

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

Global container throughput is back above pre-pandemic levels, but port congestion still costs shippers an extra $100–$200 per TEU in demurrage fees. Shipping may’ve recovered in volume, but resilience gaps remain. 🚢📈

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

Everyone’s hyped on electrifying fleets—but most warehouses can’t even support two trucks charging overnight without blowing a fuse. No one’s talking about grid readiness. ⚡🚚

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

The next frontier in sustainable delivery? Not just clean transport, but less transport. Optimize routes, consolidate loads, and rethink the whole drop model. #UrbanMobility #GreenLogistics

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

Cities don’t need more delivery vans. They need fewer. Congestion now accounts for more emissions than the vehicles themselves in dense urban cores. London, Paris, NYC—all feeling the squeeze. 🏙️🛑

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

Microhubs, cargo bikes, and delivery density algorithms are no longer nice-to-haves—they’re critical infrastructure. The 15-minute city needs 5-minute logistics.

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

Expect a shift: more in-store credits, fewer home pickups, smarter sizing tools, and AI to detect return fraud. The real innovation in 2025 isn’t faster shipping—it’s fewer returns. #EcommerceLogistics #ReverseSupplyChain

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

The free returns era is collapsing. Retailers from @ZARA to @boohoo are quietly adding fees. Why? Reverse logistics is a profit black hole. 📉📦

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

Return rates in apparel run as high as 50%. Warehouses clog, inventory sits stale, and reshipped goods rack up double the emissions. And customers? They’re gaming the system.

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

Cross-border e-commerce has exploded, but customs clearance still lags. Average dwell time at EU-UK border ports is 2–3 days—killing delivery promises for merchants and customers alike. 📦⏳

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

/ @TuSimple and @DHL’s driverless truck pilot between Berlin and Munich is a glimpse of logistics’ future. Automated platooning slashes fuel use by 10% and eases driver shortages. 🤖🚚

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

Is @SHEIN_Official killing @ASOS_news and @hm

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

/ @shoptemu pivoting fast as US tariffs bite. Trump just killed the de minimis rule, no more $800 dutyfree loophole. Tariffs on Chinese goods are doubling, even tripling. @SHEIN_Official, @shoptemu, @amazon, @tiktok_us everyone’s adjusting. Prices are going up. Cheap era is over

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

3/3 The result? We build promising companies, then sell them too early. We celebrate acquisitions that, if we were serious about tech, would feel like missed opportunities. If we want the UK to stop being a talent farm for the US, something has to change.

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

1/3 @Deliveroo getting acquired by @DoorDash is great. A unicorn, born in #Britain, exits for billions. That should be a win.

Sadly, it’s also a reminder of a broken system.

We’re great at building startups the hashtag#UK. We’re terrible at building big tech companies.

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

2/3 Why? Because the UK still doesn't back ambition. Talent is leaving. Founders are being lured to the US. And the funding environment? Depressingly risk-averse. Try raising a proper Series A here without already having Silicon Valley investors on your cap table. Good luck.

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

@StephenAtHome what were you doing at Buckingham palace behind the king?

[Brett @brettperl]

https://t.co/ed13afC7f2

[Brett @brettperl]

Urban areas face significant logistical challenges in transporting goods due to:

1. Rising Demand: Online shopping has led to higher parcel volumes, overwhelming traditional delivery systems.

2. Congestion: Traditional delivery methods contribute to urban traffic congestion, slowing down delivery times.

3. Environmental Concerns: Conventional vehicles emit pollutants, worsening air quality.

4. Regulatory Pressures: Governments are imposing stricter emissions regulations and traffic limitations.

The Solution:

Fin, founded by Rich Pleeth and Chris Sargeant, is a logistics company that reduces urban delivery congestion by leveraging eco-friendly vehicles and AI-optimized routes.

Similar to how Uber Eats uses bikes in urban areas for efficient and green food delivery, Fin uses e-cargo bikes and electric vans with AI-optimized routes to provide faster, greener, and more efficient parcel deliveries for brands.

Be sure to read the full feature linked below.

[Rich Pleeth @Richpleeth]

@VictoriaRance @SilvertownTn @willnorman @London_Cycling @GreenGreenwich Great to see. Thanks for taking the time to chat!