A decade in the driving seat
June 1st 2006

Pall-Ex celebrates its tenth anniversary this year.

From being one of the first to market, the company has rapidly grown into Europe's leading pallet network. Handling ten million pallets in ten years, the network now has over 100 depot locations and boasts the most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly operation in the sector

Pall-Ex has come a long way since opening for business in 1996 with a throughput of just 117 pallets on the first night. Double-digit growth in turnover every year for ten years and a steady increase in the number of pallets handled to current levels exceeding 9,000 per night have created a company with a national and international name and bringing many high street brands and retail chains to its doors. Today, Pall-Ex has increased the number of depot locations from 29 to over 100 and is developing a number of strategic alliances which will take the company further into the continent and beyond.

Purpose-built hub

The success of the company is due largely to the innovative and investment-driven approach of founder and managing director Hilary Devey. Pall-Ex was the first to commission its own £12m purpose-built hub, built to the company's own specification on a brown field site in Leicestershire. The 18.5 acre site was chosen for its proximity to major trunk routes to allow speedy transit to all corners of the country and into Europe. The facility itself has an inside area of 267,000 sq.ft.

and remains unique in the sector as the only non-drive-through hub, keeping commercial vehicles outside the building.

Pall-Ex has further enhanced the environmental advantage by running an entirely CNG (compressed natural gas) powered fork lift truck fleet keeping the hub emission-free. It is these factors that have helped provide the cleanest, safest, most efficient hub environment in the sector bringing in new business from sensitive goods including foodstuffs and electronic equipment. The company replaced its entire fleet of fork lift trucks earlier this year, a further investment of £2.5M.

Operational standards in a 24-hour operation are of paramount importance and the new trucks have the best benefits of driver comfort and safety as well as performance and efficiency gains. Pall-Ex has also invested heavily in a new FLT training academy on site. Accredited by the RTITB (Road Transport Industry Training Board), the facility provides ongoing and refresher training for Pall-Ex fork lift drivers and the aim is for all truck drivers to achieve NVQ and higher level qualifications.

In addition the Training Academy has capacity for external training for schoolleavers and long-term job-seekers thus providing a service to the community.

Some of the trainee drivers have now been taken on by Pall-Ex.

Pall-Ex was also the first Pallet Network to launch its own bespoke information management system designed and developed in-house. Hilary Devey is proud of the technological advantage this has given Pall-Ex over its competitors others in the market. "We designed Pall-IT ourselves so that we could provide the best service to our members and customers, and we are still way ahead of our competitors. Our latest developments; EPOD (electronic proof of delivery), document scanning and real-time signature capture enhancements are delivering significant competitive advantages for both our customers and depot network, streamlining efficiency and planning processes."

Bright future

The future looks bright for Pall-Ex. With a staff of over 180 and pallet throughput reaching record levels, the company continues to enjoy significant growth and increasing profitability year on year. Early moves into continental Europe have established a solid market for expansion and the company is building strategic alliances with major international logistics operators that will expand the business both in terms of destination and diversification. With East Midlands Airport a stone's throw away and Pall-Ex's position at the epicentre of the UK's road network, air and sea freight and container cargo are the growth areas for Pall-Ex. "We are adapting part of our hub with the latest technology for handling containerised freight," points out Hilary Devey. Future plans include a continued expansion of the client service portfolio with an even wider range of international services, developing full service logistics for customers and members. After ten years of sustained growth, Pall-Ex is set for the next decade of success.

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