Palletline specialises in palletised distribution – the movement of goods on pallets across the UK and Europe.  For those not too familiar with the world of road freight, think of us as a co-operative of more than 65 individual transport companies that work together to deliver freight. Palletline is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary year. Our members comprise some of the best hauliers in the country, and each is responsible for collecting and delivering freight within their nominated area – together our members cover the whole of the UK and Europe. Each of our members owns shares in Palletline and has a say in how we, as a network, develop.

 

We were the first to introduce the innovative ‘hub and spoke’ distribution system to the UK. It works like this:

• During the day, our member companies collect goods from across their local areas. These goods are then gathered together at each member’s warehouse and transported to directly the central ‘hub’ near Birmingham Airport, or via one of three regional hubs across the UK. At the central hub, the pallets are sorted and made ready for distribution.
  
  
• Then the process happens in reverse – each pallet is picked up and sent to the Palletline regional hub and/ or the warehouse of the Palletline member who is responsible for the delivery area.
  
  
• And of course, then it is delivered to the customer! (In 95% of cases, a digital proof of delivery signature is obtained.)
  
  
• Essentially, every night is a large scale, carefully orchestrated ‘swap over’. The process is closely controlled and monitored by our bespoke technology, ensuring full track and trace – similar to that you’d get on a parcel delivery. The Palletline member closest to the customer picks up the freight and the member closest to the destination delivers it.
  
  
• A typical night can see more than 12,000 moved between vehicles across our 4 hubs.
  
  
• This method of working means that majority of each member’s fleet need not leave its local area. It’s the industry benchmark and saves thousands of miles per year.
  
  
• Palletline gives coverage to nearly every part of the UK on an ‘overnight’ basis, as well as next-delivery to Ireland from Scotland. If the goods are not so urgent and can wait another day, we also offer an ‘economy’ service. 

Palletline is proud to support thousands of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and larger businesses across the length and breadth of the UK – the true backbone of the British economy. We’re very much in touch with the needs of our members and the challenges they face. We’re also in no doubt that the high cost of petrol & diesel is hurting the UK economy. The myriad businesses that our network deals with are having their margins squeezed as their fuel bills rise. Not only that, but the demand for the goods from those SMEs is reduced as their customers have less disposable income due to their own fuel bill ‘pressure’.

 

Since its inception in January 2011, FairFuelUK has drawn together the road freight industry, the motorist and the consumer into a powerful campaigning force to challenge and stop the seemingly never ending rise in Fuel Duty. We believe that FairFuelUK was a major force behind the deferment of the 3p Fuel Duty rise planned for 1st August 2012. As a network we see the impact of high fuel prices every day. We share FairFuelUK’s main aim – to see a complete change in the way that politicians think about road fuel and how it is taxed. Petrol and diesel are the ‘oxygen’ of our economy. Politicians need to see Fuel Duty as a lever for growth and not just a ‘cash cow’ to generate revenue.

 

For these reasons, Palletline has decided to formally back FairFuelUK. Together, we aim to deliver not just pallets for our customers, but a fairer deal on Fuel Duty for all our sakes.

 

Wish to know more about Palletline and its services? – please visit www.palletline.com