Palletforce, launched in 2001 as one of the UK’s earliest pioneers of palletised distribution networks is opening a new state-of-the-art hub in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, scheduled to go live in January 2009.  The company whose network employs over 4,500 people nationwide, will have over 100 people working at its new hub and head office, and this is expected to increase further as Palletforce continues to expand.

Overlooking the A38, one of the country’s major road transport distribution arteries, the £30 million development has been planned to Palletforce’s own specification as the new flagship for the palletised distribution sector.  The 379,400 square foot site with its ‘single warehouse’ concept has been designed to deliver a bespoke environment offering faster throughputs, a quicker turnaround of vehicles and a higher quality of operation.  The new hub represents a significant increase on the 210,000 sq ft capacity of Palletforce' s existing premises at Fradley.

Commenting on the progress of the development, Palletforce’s new Chief Executive, Michael Conroy explains, “The company has grown very rapidly in its seven years of operation and the new hub is the latest step in our plan for continued expansion.  Typically, Palletforce handles consignments of between one and ten pallets through its network of 97 shareholder member depots.  Customers can choose from a wide range of services, including UK & Europe, next day and economy, timed services for both standard and palletised traffic and oversize consignments.  One of the benefits of such an established member base is that the network can also offer tailor made solutions from part load, full load, container handling, storage and order picking services through to dedicated fleets.” 

Conroy concludes, “Unlike most other networks, Palletforce is owned by its members with everyone taking equal interest and responsibility for the success of the business.  This has really paid off and we have become a major player both within the UK and in Europe”

Palletforce, one of the UK’s leading exponents of palletised distribution networks, has expanded its management team with two new appointments, in readiness for its move to a new state of the art hub at Burton on Trent, Staffordshire.  Giles Conway joins as General Manager Finance and Dave Gough has been brought in as Health and Safety Manager.  The former is a new role, the first of several more to be confirmed in the next few months.

Conway joins from a European finance role at DVD supplier, Technicolor Distribution and has previously worked for the sameday service division of Business Post. Gough has moved to Palletforce from a health and safety role at one of its main competitors.

Palletforce, launched in 2001 as one of the UK’s earliest pioneers of palletised distribution networks has made the appointments ahead of opening its £30 million new hub development, scheduled to go live in January 2009 and planned to the company’s own specification as the new flagship for the palletised distribution sector.  Commenting on his appointment. Giles Conway explained: “This is a new role which combines an internal accounting task with a more outward facing function providing management and billing information to the 97 Palletforce member depots across the UK and Europe.  It’s all about ensuring that a progressive, fast-growing business like Palletforce has the most sophisticated financial data systems available today.”

Dave Gough added, ”The role encompasses training for health and safety in a fast moving environment, including seeing through the latest OHSAS 18001 standards within 12 months.  Given that the new site will be the largest and most advanced in the industry, this is a fantastic opportunity.”

Overlooking the A38, one of the country’s major road transport distribution arteries, the new 379,400 square foot Palletforce hub with its ‘single warehouse’ concept has been designed to deliver a bespoke environment offering faster throughputs, a quicker turnaround of vehicles and a higher quality of operation.  It will be able to handle more than four million pallets per annum.  Commenting on the latest appointments, Chief Executive Officer, Michael Conroy said, “We are now in the run up to the opening of the new hub and Giles and Dave are part of our strategy to gear up our operations as we enter this new era.  The company has grown very rapidly in its seven years of operation and its tremendous success is due the commitment of a hardworking, high quality team in an organisation owned by its members with everyone taking equal interest and responsibility for the growth of the business.”

Palletforce Annual golf day this year took place at Hawkstone Park, near Shrewsbury on
Thursday 25th September and was attended by over 40 members and their guests.
The weather was very kind to us all day and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves
on the two courses that were played during the event.

The prizes and trophies were awarded at the evening dinner by
Palletforce's Chairman, Iain McAulay and the winners were as follows: 

Morning 9 hole Team Competition;
R G Bassett and Sons

Afternoon 18 hole Individual and Team Competition;
Longest Drive – Jason Stepney (Transplus)
Nearest the Pin – Mark Smith   (Palletforce guest)

1st place - Mark Pilkington (Palletforce)
2nd place - Mark Opas (Poole Bay Freight)
3rd place – Shaun Bundy (Poole Bay Freight)

Overall Team winner – Poole Bay Freight  
            

Many Congratulations to all who took part

Palletforce’s sixth annual Gala Awards Dinner on Saturday 12th April highlighted the strength of the Network, with a record number of Member Depots being recognised for their contribution.

Held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London and attended by 430 Shareholder Members and staff, the event rewarded the Network’s outstanding performers over the past year. 

The event’s top prize, Palletforce Depot of the Year, was this year renamed as the Palletforce Depot of the Year - The Robert Bedford Award in honour of the Bedfords Transport Depot Principal and Palletforce Non-Executive Director, who died in 2007.  The award was won by Edwin C Farrall & Sons for the fourth time.

Ge-Be Transport was voted Members’ Depot of the Year, whilst the Sales & Marketing Award was won by Owens Road Services.  The Members Service Committee Award went to White Logistics.

A new category, Networkers of the Year, singled out twelve Member Depots who, in the opinion of the Network, had ‘shown a true Network spirit and had gone that extra mile’ over the past twelve months.  Those chosen were Horley Road Services, UK Freight Masters, Alan Firmin Ltd, Freightforce, Online Roadways, JBT Ltd, White Logistics, Price Express Transport, Beattie Bros Transport, R G Bassett & Sons, John Jempson & Sons Ltd and Abacus Transport

“Our congratulations to all the nominees and winners, Palletforce goes from strength to strength, and that’s a direct result of having such a strong membership across the Network,” confirms Trevor Mudd, General Manager Sales and Marketing.  “By creating the new category of ‘Networkers of the Year’, we can ensure that more of our Member Depots than ever before are recognised for their contribution.”

The John K Philips Group, a St. Helens based Distribution & Warehousing Company, has joined Palletforce, one of the country’s leading palletised distribution networks, in the long-term interests of the company and its customers.

The Group was founded by John Philips in 1974 and, from humble beginnings driving his own vehicle, he has built the business into a successful operation running a large modern fleet of vehicles. The Group has always specialised in distribution to the Chemical and Paint Industry with all drivers being ADR trained, but diversification and rapid growth within the general distribution areas meant that a radical re-think had to take place and joining the Palletforce network was the obvious answer.

 “I have always worked under the ethos of – Continuous Improvement – and joining the Membership of the Palletforce Network is a natural progression in this process and one that I and all the Staff look forward to working within,” states John Philips. “Palletforce shares our values and commitment offering quality of service, customer focus and professionalism.” 

With a fleet of vehicles ranging from 1.2 Tonne sprinters, 18 & 26 Tonne rigids with tail lifts to 44 Tonne tractors, a 130,000 Sq. Ft. COMAH registered warehouse operating 24/7, and the latest bespoke computerised computer systems to control both vehicles and warehousing, the John K Philips Group is big enough to cope and small enough to care.

 The John Philips Group has now taken on responsibility for the WN and WA (less WA4 to WA9) postcodes.