PALLETFORCE

PALLETFORCE member White Logistics beat off competition from Apple and the BBC to win an international design award for its company rebranding.

The Pershore-based firm won Best in Show at the prestigious Design Week Awards, despite tough competition from the technology giant and the Beeb.

White Logistics also won the Identity Design category at the awards which were held on June 13.

In 2011 White Logistics, with the help of the Design Council and design agency The Allotment, underwent a radical rebrand and transformed their livery, logo, uniform and website into a bold black and white design from the previous green branding.

The Design Week award is the latest in a long line for the rebranding and came just a few days before the company celebrated its 40th anniversary with a big party for staff and families at its warehouse.

"Our rebranding has had a huge impact on the business and shows how we continue to move forward as we celebrate our 40th anniversary," said Managing Director Judith Stracey.

Judith has been involved with the business for 38 years and has seen it grow from a one-man-and-his-van operation distributing fruit and vegetables, to an international business specialising in trollies for transporting plants.

"It was started by Rick White and when he left in 1999 I ran the business for him for about three years," said Judith.

"He then wanted to retire but couldn't find anyone suitable to sell to, as we are a small local company employing a lot of local people we didn't want to just sell out to a big company.

"As a throw-away remark I said 'I could buy the business from you', and then I did and this year is my 10th anniversary as managing director.

"Soon after I became managing director we joined Palletforce because we wanted to join a quality pallet network.

"We believe companies like ours have to be in a network and we are in the best one, it allows us to be more competitive and offer a much wider, guaranteed service.

"I still get a buzz from my work and I enjoy working with the fantastic people we have here."

As it looks to the future White Logistics is in the early stages of moving to new premises, still in Pershore, and next month will be rolling out the first phase of bespoke software that will increase efficiency.

Since rebranding the company has won recognition from both the transport and design industry, including:

Finalist in the Motor Transport Awards 2011 for Livery of the Year

• Winner of a gold award in the Marketing Design Awards 2012 for Best Rebrand
• Winner in the Transform Awards 2012 for best rebrand
• Winner in the D&DA awards for Graphic Design / Logo
• Winner in the Design Week Awards 2012 for Identity Design
• And winner of Best in Show in the Design Week Awards 2012