As we look ahead to the next 20 years of Pall-Ex, our anniversary year is also a time for reflection and to celebrate everything that has made the network the success it is today.
At the very heart of Pall-Ex are our members and some have been with us since the very beginning. Here, we profile another founder member, 1st Class Transport and take a look back at their time with us.
Milton Keynes-based 1st Class Transport has been able to grow its customer base year-on-year since joining Pall-Ex back in 1996.
The team, headed by managing director Robert Caen, now looks after more than 150 customers. There are certainly no signs of this continued and sustained growth slowing down either, as the company has recently won a number of new contracts and secured four major new customers in the first quarter of 2016 alone.
“Being a Pall-Ex member has certainly put us in a much stronger position,” said Robert. “It’s allowed us to offer services anywhere in the country at a known price, which is really important for our customers.”
If 1st Class had not joined Pall-Ex 20-years ago, Robert believes that the business would now be largely focused on contract distribution and full loads, which can be a highly competitive market.
“Working alongside Pall-Ex has allowed us to create a more streamlined, efficient and, ultimately, profitable operation,” added Robert.
"The future’s looking very promising and we anticipate being able to fill another trunk to Pall-Ex."
Looking back over the company’s time in the network, one of the highlights for Robert and his team has been the partnership approach of working alongside other members and the recognition they have received.
“It’s really rewarding to work with so many other great hauliers and, of course, to be recognised for our hard work,” concluded Robert. “We’ve been shortlisted for Depot of the Year twice. For us, this is a reflection of our fantastic team and the amazing effort they put in every day.
“I think we can be proud of what has been achieved as part of Pall-Ex, as well as excited about the future.”