Helping you 'go green'
June 1st 2011

David Holland, sales and marketing director of Palletforce, reflects on how the new breed of pallet networks is helping businesses 'go green' and stay competitive

Oil prices are soaring, the economy is slow, and a 'green approach' to logistics is now seen as a must for many of the UK's major manufacturing and retail giants. This cocktail of pressures is forcing many businesses – large and small – to look very closely at the way they transport goods.

But perhaps this is a good thing – because innovation and smart new ways to handle goods really can deliver that green agenda, and save money on the bottom line at the same time.

A pallet network is a fast, environmentally-friendly and reliable way of delivering freight in large or small quantities. And like all the best ideas, the Palletforce network is simple.

By using Palletforce you are using a 'shared delivery network' – so companies can enjoy economies of scale and a super efficient service. The concept centres around our fantastic memberowned network which is made up of 100 of the UK and Europe's most highly-respected transport companies. All of the members own shares in the Palletforce business – and therefore have a stake in its success.

And by working together in a sort of delivery 'swap shop', the network can deliver huge benefits to business. It may seem like an obvious thing to do, but only a few years ago, before pallet networks existed, things were quite different.

Back then a haulage company in Scotland might deliver part loads across the country to Kent and return to their Scottish base with an empty lorry, or a Cornish company could deliver to Newcastle and waste fuel returning home empty.

But by setting up a central 'Hub' and working together, each freight company can deliver their goods 'half way' to the Hub – and then pick up goods destined for their delivery area from other Palletforce member depots.

Working smarter in this way has cut down on the number of trucks returning to their bases with empty loads. It also reduces unnecessary journey times and fuel costs, and is a greener, more efficient way of working.

For any business that wants to boost its environmental credentials, using a pallet distribution hub is a truly credible solution. It just makes sense. This is borne out by figures that show that under the pallet network model, trucks are able to run at around 82 per cent full. That is rather impressive when set against much lower figures for traditional methods of distribution.

This has already had a significant and positive impact on the environment and will only increase as networks mature and continue to develop innovations at every level. As companies look to sharpen their logistics operations the pallet network distribution model offers something fresh and innovative. It's ideal for businesses that need flexible delivery sizes. And by delivering 'just-in-time' companies can cut costs of holding stock and react quickly to rises and falls in demand.

Throughout the recession Palletforce has continued to invest in its network to ensure quality, reliability and trust are at the heart of its operations. This investment has taken on many forms including the opening of a £30million Hub overlooking the A38 in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, which has proved a springboard for development and increased volumes.

New technology too has been at the top of Palletforce's development plans and the network has ploughed resources into the very latest equipment to boost operational efficiency with equipment such as our 'super forklifts' – a unique scanning and weighing solution ensuring pallets are loaded correctly and for maximum efficiency.

Most recently we have also developed a specialist IT system, called Alliance which is linked to Palletforce's 100 strategicallyplaced depots across the UK, Ireland and Europe.

This all adds up to a better service for customers and a solid platform for future growth – even in the face of threats such as a fragile economy, fierce competition, unnecessary bureaucracy and rising fuel costs. Developing innovative solutions like Alliance, will ensure we are leading the industry and offering unparalleled service to customers.

Pushing the boundaries is something we are not scared to do at Palletforce and we will continue to lead from the front in our pursuit of excellence.

It is through investment and innovation that we can build the strong foundations needed to help companies withstand tough economic times. So far the pallet network business model has proved resilient against the economic downturn - indeed at Palletforce we recorded our best ever results last year and we are continuing to attract both interest in the network and new members to the Palletforce 'family'.

However, in this business there is never time to be complacent and as we celebrate 10 years in business, we will continue to find new ways of ensuring the next decade is just as rewarding.

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