TruckandTrackAutumn2019

www.truckandtrack.com Autumn 2019 Truck and Track 65 PALLET NETWORKS Pall-Ex has pledged to support ex-military personnel with jobs, training and fundraising after signing the Armed Forces Covenant. The logistics giant has demonstrated its commitment as an ex- Forces employer, by providing roles and access to training and qualifications at its hub in Coalville, Leicestershire. In addition to signing the covenant, Pall-Ex has announced its support for military mental health charity, Combat Stress, and will be raising money for the cause through various events throughout the year. Combat Stress is the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health, supporting former servicemen and women with mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Combat Stress provides support through a combination of psychological and psychiatric treatment, alongside occupational therapy. The Armed Forces Covenant promises fair treatment to those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, helping them to gain access to support and services, including new careers. Kevin Buchanan, Group managing director, comments: “Pall-Ex is a committed Armed Forces employer and is actively looking to help ex-military personnel find meaningful careers in civilian life. “We’re incredibly grateful for the contribution they have made to serving and protecting our country and we want to give them something valuable in return. “We have a wide range of opportunities for the right people and can provide the training and qualifications they need to establish a new career in the logistics industry. Many veterans hold a Class 1 driver’s licence - a requirement for driving an HGV - which is a great asset to the logistics industry and could help to tackle on-going driver shortages. We also have opportunities in transport, accounts, sales, IT and customer service. “As a team we will also be raising money for Combat Stress, who we have selected as one of our chosen charities. They provide vital services to support veterans and we will be raising money to support their work throughout the year.” Ex-serviceman turned Pall-Ex maintenance manager, John Bebbington, comments: “All ex-military personnel have transferrable skills, such as teamwork, attention to detail and problem solving, and these are valuable to the logistics industry. “The skills I learned during my military career enabled me to fix tanks and armoured vehicles, but I now use the same skills and knowledge in my role as maintenance manager at Pall-Ex.” Darren Jackson, corporate fundraising officer, comments: “I’m delighted that Pall-Ex has chosen Combat Stress as charity of the year. The money raised will help to transform veterans’ lives, giving the men and women Combat Stress supports fast and direct access to the tools they need to treat their mental health conditions.” Pall-Ex pledges to support Armed Forces Pall-Ex Group managing director Kevin Buchanan signs the Armed Forces Covenant with Lieutenant Corporal Keith Spiers Palletways UK, Europe’s largest and fastest growing express palletised freight network, has strengthened its presence in East Anglia with the launch of a dedicated regional depot - Palletways Colchester. The business was created following Palletways’ acquisition of SLI (Systematic Logistics International) from the Administrators at the end of 2018. Commenting Rob Gittins, Managing Director, Palletways UK, said: “East Anglia is an integral part of the Palletways network. By securing this site we can continue to offer our customers unrivalled service, customer-care and coverage for collections and deliveries nationwide. “Palletways Colchester plays a key role in the network and provides first-class express distribution services across Europe. The acquisition safeguarded jobs andmade sure the company can carry on serving customers, across the East of England, reliably. We’ve worked closely with staff through this period of major change to support the business. It’s now on solid foundations andwe hope it’ll go from strength to strength.” Palletways Colchester helped Palletways to move pallets around their UK network during the last 10 months which included both the Christmas and Easter peak periods. Recent system innovations by Palletways are now available to Palletways Colchester customers. This includes full track and trace through the Palletways online portal coupled with GPS delivery stamps on their PODs. This, along with Palletways’ ability to provide Email and SMS alerts with a two-hour estimated time of arrival for all deliveries, adds further value to the customer experience, by saving them time through unrivalled visibility. Palletways Colchester’s General Manager, Steve Dowd, adds: “The team has worked hard and the business has coped well during this transition period. We’ve started afresh, and our team is encouraged at how new and existing customers are reacting to the additional services that Palletways provides.” Palletways Colchester handles single pallet shipments to large scale consignments within the IP, CO and CM postcode areas. The local team manage and service all parts of the operation from its local collection and delivery operations, up to trunking its longer semi-trailers between Palletways Hubs and the depot. The Palletways owned depot is one of over 115 transport providers that are part of the Palletways UK network. They benefit from shared expertise and resources from within the group to deliver consignments of palletised freight to market faster and more cost effectively than ever before. The Palletways Group, famed for its industry-leading IT developments and operational systems, comprises 450+ depots and 20 hub operations, through which it provides collection and distribution services across 24 European countries, including the UK. A fresh start for Palletways in Colchester LOADS MORE TRUCKS & TRAILERS 01543 420 121 www. deker .co.uk