Amentum, GXO, Accenture and Maersk enter alliance to support the next generation of supply chain solutions to the UK Defence Sector
Rhea-AI Summary
Torus Defence Supply Chain is a new alliance formed on March 12, 2026 between Amentum, GXO (GXO), Accenture and Maersk to deliver resilient, data-driven supply chain solutions for the UK defence sector. The alliance combines logistics, digital enablement, global movement and programme integration to support sovereign readiness and invest in UK infrastructure and skills.
Key disclosed facts: Amentum plans to add 3,000 UK roles over four years; GXO cites 60,000+ team members and 450 sites.
Positive
- Alliance formed between Amentum, GXO, Accenture and Maersk to serve UK defence
- Amentum hiring plan: add 3,000 UK roles over next four years
- GXO scale: more than 60,000 team members across 450 sites
- Digital enablement led by Accenture for real-time visibility and AI decision support
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction – GXO
In the Mar 12 session, GXO declined 3.90%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 06 | CFO appointment | Positive | -5.6% | Named new chief financial officer with decades of finance and defense experience. |
| Mar 04 | Geographic milestone | Positive | -1.9% | Celebrated 20 years in Poland, highlighting automation, growth and community engagement. |
| Feb 25 | Customer partnership | Positive | +1.1% | Launched multi‑year logistics partnership with Hunkemöller using advanced robotics. |
| Feb 10 | Earnings report | Positive | +9.2% | Reported record 2025 revenue and outlined 2026 growth and profitability guidance. |
| Feb 09 | Defense strategy | Positive | -0.5% | Formed Defense Advisory Board to support aerospace and defense logistics expansion. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent positive strategic and earnings news has produced mixed reactions, with several defence- and growth-focused updates followed by negative or muted price moves, but earnings drawing a stronger positive response.
Over the past month, GXO has reported several strategic milestones. On Feb 10, it posted record 2025 revenue of $13.2 billion with solid organic growth and 2026 guidance, which coincided with a 9.22% gain. Defence expansion has been a theme: a new Defense Advisory Board on Feb 9 and today’s UK defence alliance both build on that direction. Other news—like the Hunkemöller partnership and leadership changes including a new CFO effective April 1, 2026—has seen mixed or negative near-term price reactions.
Key Terms
just-in-time technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Torus Defence Supply Chain brings together complementary global leaders with proven capabilities and mission-critical expertise
LONDON, UK, March 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amentum, a global leader in advanced engineering and innovative technology solutions, GXO Logistics, Inc., the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider, Accenture, a leading global solutions and services company, and A.P.Moller - Maersk, the world’s largest integrated supply chain provider, have today announced a new alliance, Torus Defence Supply Chain, to help strengthen the future of the UK defence sector.
Torus will provide resilient, agile and integrated defence supply chain solutions, helping the UK defence sector adapt to the evolving threat landscape and build the agile capacity required to enhance sovereign capability.
Designed to help address the UK Government policy shift to readiness, visibility and data exploitation, Torus draws on alliance members' proven capabilities and mission-critical expertise in military domain, procurement and supply chain. The alliance is underpinned by a shared commitment of collaboration, compliance and continuous improvement to solve complex challenges in the UK defence market.
- Amentum will provide overall integration and programme management based on more than 60 years of support to UK defence operations, procurement, logistics support, programme/project delivery and transformation. Its global expertise, built over decades of defence, aerospace and national security experience in the USA and UK, ensures interoperability with allied sustainment systems and proven global buying power. Last September, Amentum announced plans to add another 3,000 people to its current UK workforce of more than 6,000 over the next four years.
- GXO will develop and operate innovative logistics solutions, leveraging its more than two decades of experience partnering with leading aerospace and defence organisations. With A&D operations spanning more than 30 global sites, GXO recently bolstered its UK defence capabilities through the acquisition of Wincanton, a longstanding trusted partner to the UK defence and industrial sector. GXO currently employs more than 60,000 team members across 450 sites in the UK and is a Gold Award level member of the UK’s Defence Employer recognition scheme for its work with the Armed Forces.
- Accenture will lead digital reinvention with a core role to deliver digital enablement and integrated decision support capability. Accenture’s deep experience of defence logistics information systems and digital transformation will enable real-time, single-version-of-the-truth visibility and smarter, data and AI-powered decision making that balance readiness, cost and resilience.
- Maersk will provide global integrated movement solutions utilising its extensive network across multiple modes to enable global reach ensuring compliance with stringent security standards for defence and government cargo whilst ensuring the scale of its owned assets provide agility and resilience to allow defence to plan and react to a changing need.
Loren Jones, Amentum Senior Vice President, said: “Our combined global reach and military domain experience, specifically Amentum's proven success in deployed logistics and integrating complex systems for the U.S. Government, perfectly aligns with the UK Defence sector’s requirement for future operational resilience and it's imperative to move beyond systems optimised for just-in-time to ones of assured readiness and global reach.”
Gavin Williams, Managing Director, GXO UK & Ireland, said: “The defence sector is tasked with responding to dynamic global challenges which has created substantial demands on its supply chains. GXO’s proven capability in the global defence sector optimises efficiency and builds resilience in complex supply chains, providing leading defence organisations with the assurance they will have the adaptive capacity required to deliver with confidence.”
Mark Smith, EMEA Defence Lead at Accenture, said: “This alliance brings together unmatched expertise in logistics systems and data-driven digital transformation - enabling scalable, interoperable solutions that enhance mission readiness. Accenture’s deep defence logistics knowledge and cutting-edge digital capabilities, refined through working with over 20 NATO countries, can help ensure operational continuity and resilience in complex global environments.”
Beyond focusing on supporting UK sovereign mission readiness, the alliance is committed to investing in UK infrastructure, contributing to economic growth and fostering digital skills in local communities.
The announcement comes prior to DPRTE, the UK’s leading defence procurement and supply chain event, which takes place on 25th and 26th March at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre. Visit GXO (Stand 99) and Amentum (Stand 65) to find out more.
About Amentum
Amentum is a global leader in designing, engineering, and managing mission-critical programmes and advanced technical services. Amentum provides complex logistics, sustainment, and specialised support to US, UK, and allied governments across all seven continents, with a focus on ensuring operational success in challenging environments.
About GXO
GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO) is the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider and is positioned to capitalise on the rapid growth of ecommerce, automation and outsourcing. GXO has more than 150,000 team members across more than 1,000 facilities totaling more than 200 million square feet. The company serves the world’s leading blue-chip companies to solve complex logistics challenges with technologically advanced supply chain and ecommerce solutions, at scale and with speed. Visit GXO.com for more information and connect with GXO on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading solutions and services company that helps the world’s leading enterprises reinvent by building their digital core and unleashing the power of AI to create value at speed across the enterprise, bringing together the talent of our approximately 784,000 people, our proprietary assets and platforms, and deep ecosystem relationships. Our strategy is to be the reinvention partner of choice for our clients and to be the most client-focused, AI-enabled, great place to work in the world. Through our Reinvention Services we bring together our capabilities across strategy, consulting, technology, operations, Song and Industry X with our deep industry expertise to create and deliver solutions and services for our clients. Our purpose is to deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity, and we measure our success by the 360° value we create for all our stakeholders. Visit us at accenture.com.
About Maersk
A.P. Moller - Maersk is an integrated logistics company connecting and simplifying its customers’ supply chains. As a global leader in logistics services, the company has 100,000+ customers, operates in about 130 countries, and employs 100,000+ people. Maersk delivers innovative, reliable ocean network solutions, offers truly integrated logistics products and operates advanced container terminals, both gateways and hubs, with 60+ locations globally.
Amentum Media Contact
Steve Brauner
Stephen.brauner@global.amentum.com
Tel: +44 (0)7875 877120
GXO Media Contact
Chris Walton
+44 (0)7971 840874
chris.walton@gxo.co.uk
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