GXO Logistics is an American global contract logistics company that manages outsourced supply chains and warehousing, and reverse logistics for blue-chip customers in over thirty countries.

The Challenge

GXO Logistics, one of the world’s largest contract logistics providers, partnered with Langdon Customs & Excise Solutions to implement a modern Excise Duty Management System (DMS) for their UK warehouse operations on behalf of their client, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG). 

The project followed a highly competitive and detailed RFP process initiated to replace GXO’s existing Excise DMS, which had reached end of life (EOL).

Our Approach 

Langdon was selected after a lengthy and detailed RFP process, during which GXO evaluated multiple providers for reliability, innovation and future readiness. Langdon stood out by demonstrating:

  • A deep understanding of excise legislation, compliance and warehousing operations.
  • A flexible, scalable system tailored for both current tobacco products and the emerging non-combustible market, including vaping products expected to expand in 2026.
  • A strong record of partnership and delivery in high-volume, compliance-critical environments, such as Tesco, World Duty Free and United Wholesale.

This selection marked not only a technical win, but also a strategic partnership between Langdon and GXO that has since expanded into customs-focused projects beyond excise.

Building the Solution

A key early phase of the project was the creation of a detailed Business Requirements Document (BRD), developed in collaboration with GXO’s excise compliance and operational teams. This phase focused on:

  • Capturing the unique functional requirements of tobacco and cigarette handling, a new area for Langdon and an example of the trust and collaboration that underpinned the partnership.
  • Defining integration points with GXO’s internal systems and Blue Yonder (Dispatcher) WMS.
  • Mapping client-specific workflows for STG to ensure traceability, control, and audit readiness.

Testing, Integration and Go-Live 

Working closely with GXO’s internal WMS integration team, Langdon implemented and tested a fully integrated Excise DMS solution. A two-week parallel run was conducted as a proof of concept, ensuring system accuracy, operational alignment and compliance under live-like conditions. 

Following the successful parallel run, the solution went live with full operational readiness, backed by a robust hyper-care support phase, where Langdon provided real-time assistance, user training and technical support.

The Results

Today, GXO operates a fully integrated Excise DMS for STG, benefiting from:

Real-time excise tracking and reporting.

Seamless WMS integration.

Full HMRC compliance for tobacco goods.

A future-ready platform designed to adapt to changing excise legislation, e.g. VAPES.

This project laid the foundation work for a long-term strategic relationship. Langdon is now actively engaged in additional work with GXO, and we’re excited to be involved in wider excise implementation in the future. 

Like what you’ve heard and interested in working with us? Get in touch at info@langdoncustoms.com. For any additional questions, please contact Sam Richardson, Commercial Director at Langdon Customs and Excise Solutions Ltd.  

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