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Multi-award winning express distribution network Palletforce is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a multi-million pound investment pledge.

For the next 12 months the company’s investments will further develop distribution services, pioneer technology, embrace sustainability and drive continued collaboration throughout its membership.

And that begins today with a £3 million investment in a full replacement of its forklift truck fleet, loaded with Palletforce’s award-winning technology and patented weighing, scanning and imaging capability.

Adam Leonard, Palletforce chief executive officer, said: “Palletforce’s strength has always been the quality of its membership, and in order to attract the very best operators you have to invest in the very best services.

“Over the next 12 months we will strengthen the network further with a pledge to continue investment and strive for excellence.

“We will bring our members together and ensure the entire Palletforce network continues to work collectively, collaboratively and in the spirit of the membership to ensure our continued success.”

On its first night of operation, at a former aircraft hangar at Fradley Park, Lichfield, on 31 August 2001, Palletforce handled 524 pallets of freight from the initial 36 founding members.

Now part of global logistics and technology provider EV Cargo, the company operates from a state-of-the-art central SuperHub in Burton upon Trent, delivering 5 million pallets annually via a network of over 100 quality members.

“We have an exciting future ahead and once again we will take the lead on investment right across the network, to ensure our members and their customers have access to the highest quality services, infrastructure and technology,” said Mr Leonard.

“We’ve seen our network grow from strength to strength over the last 20 years, but one thing has remained constant and that’s the unwavering support from our members – especially the founding members who helped create this wonderful business back in 2001.”

Palletforce staff honoured for “Delivering, Better”

Palletforce’s brilliant employees have once again been recognised at this year’s annual Delivering, Better Awards.

The Awards are the culmination of a year-long process to identify those members of staff who, in their own way, have contributed to Palletforce’s ongoing success by going the extra mile.

The award categories range from teamwork and honesty to quality and agility, and the finalists in each are from all departments at Palletforce’s central Hub, including apprentices from the highly successful Palletforce Academy.

They were selected following a series of monthly meetings featuring specially-appointed Employee Champions. The finalists in each category were decided in December.

Highlights of the ceremony, which was held at Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium, included Jack Boylin winning the Apprentice of the Year Award, Ivo Augstkalnietis being voted FLT Driver of the Year, and Gemma Hewitt from European Admin who received the award for Employee Champion of the Year.

In addition, Kate Lovatt and Jo Duncan of the Amazon Implementation team were presented with the Outstanding Business Contribution Award, while Superstar of the Year went to the entire SuperHub team – who also picked up the Efficiency Award.

In all there were winners in 16 categories, all of whom were presented with a glass trophy and a certificate.

Palletforce chief executive Michael Conroy also received a special long-service award for his 10 years at the helm, presented by network founding members Geof Armstrong from Wm Armstrong and Tony Suggitt from Redhead International.

Michael said: “The Delivering, Better culture programme is a key foundation for our continuing success and I am delighted to see our next generation of supervisors, managers, directors coming through, and somewhere even our next chief executive.

“None of what we have achieved as a company would have been possible without their superb and often selfless efforts and professionalism.”

Finalists: Gemma Hewitt (European Admin), Mathew Plant (IT), Scott Grist (FLT driver).

Finalists: Terrence Brown (QTR), Kate Lovatt (IT), Kevin Vaughan (Member Relations).

Finalists: Carl Bywater (Operations), Shaun James (FLT driver), Ruth Kitson (Finance).

Finalists: Kevin Jackson (Network Operations), Ruth Kitson (Finance), Jack Eaton (FLT apprentice).

Finalists: Michael Cunningham (Site Operations), Wendy Coxon (Finance), Gemma Hewitt (European Operations).

Finalists: Ivo Augstkalnietis (FLT driver), Susanne Warfield (Depot Support), SuperHub Team (Steven Davies, Mark Wilcock, Matthew Liversage, Terry Gould, Kieran Lavill, Jonathan Whiting, Stuart Geldard and Carl Wadsworth).

Finalists: Marketing Team (Dannielle Owen, Megan Mosley and Emily Portman), Lee Murphy (Facilities), Kieran Lavill (FLT driver)

Finalists: Depot 900 (Joanne Diver, Kim Raffle and Lindsey Kelly-Walley), Karen Hugo (Depot Support), Network Operations (Alex Restall, Kevin Jackson, Abigail Lear and Richard Moss).

10 years: Michael Conroy, David Holland, Penny Bailey, Laura Okell, Debbie Stokes and Robert Maskell (UKFM).

Palletforce Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Investment Pledge

Palletforce staff honoured for “Delivering, Better”