08/04 All systems grow as network boosts firm

Membership of one of Europe's fastest growing pallet freight systems has been the spur for major growth at one Black Country business.

Pallet Systems has recently opened an 8,000 sq ft operations centre in Wednesbury and a head office at Darlaston's Metro House.

For the past two years the company has been a member of Palletways, a UK-based network based at a 350,000 sq ft hub in Lichfield and a membership of around 100 logistics organisations.

By joining forces the companies are able to bring together small volume loads to make more economic use of a combined transport fleet of various sized vehicles.

Pallet Systems considers itself one of Palletways' success stories and has continued to go from strength to strength. In addition to new premises, it has also recently appointed five new employees.

Janet Jones, company director of Pallet Systems, said: "When a company grows it is vital that the support network for customers grow as well. Too many of today's businesses don't look after existing customers, which is often why they fail.

"At Pallet Systems we are as dedicated to keeping our existing customers as we are to attracting new business.

"Our business works within an ever-changing market place and as a member of a market leading network, we know that we have to keep looking to the future and developing the business."

Within the Palletways system, which handles more than 12,000 pallets of freight every night, Pallet Systems has increased its nightly load by more than 100 per cent in the last 12 months, said Tony Jones, director of Pallet Systems.

The company was also investing heavily in its staff, to give them the best training and experience, he said.

As the Palletways network has expanded - with new hubs in London and Scotland and operations in Italy, Ireland and the Benelux - so the reach of its member companies has been extended. As a group Palletways turned over nearly £85 million last year and new European depots are being introduced.

Similarly Pallet Systems has been able to grow, starting out in 1997 as a small venture in palletised freight distribution. After several years as a parcel distributor, the management decided that as the market was so saturated, they would take their expertise in distribution, consolidate their customer base and move into pallets, where the market was more stable.

Tony Jones said: "After five years of learning the trade and the differences between parcels and pallets, we were considered one of the leading independent pallet carriers in the West Midlands.

"In the summer of 2003 Pallet Systems was asked to join Palletways. With its combined customer base and the extra deliveries that Palletways had in the West Midlands area, Pallet Systems soon grew.

"By combining local knowledge with a national brand we have the best of both worlds, offering competitive prices and local customer care with the support of a major international business behind us.

"Pallet Systems has grown rapidly because of this support. We can honestly deliver the promises that we give to our customers, which means that their customers in turn can have absolute confidence in the service that they are using.

"Pallet Systems can handle any kind of regular freight, apart from hazardous materials. We rarely refuse any load, and have started to grow a very strong brand name in the local area among a customer base that includes builders, plumbers and printers to hardware companies, die casting companies and engineers."