www.thepalletnetworkltd.co.uk TPN NEWS NOVEMBER 2016 1

TPN gears up for best ever year in 2017

The newsletter of The Pallet Network NEWSTPN

Inside Page 2: Tiles Porcelain safe in TPN hands Page 3: 100% compliance at RDCs Page 4: Claude Hellowell scores high

TPN is expanding its purpose-built Hub with a new canopy to give six more loading bays. The

Hub is already market-leading in its operational and environmental design and was intended to have both the capacity and the fl exibility to cope with growing volumes of pallets.

MD Mark Duggan says: “The network has had its fi rst week handling over 75,000 pallets and we have done it without compromising our excellent service levels. We are expecting even higher pallet volumes going forward, with 80,000+ pallets a week in late November and early December. We are expanding our facilities now because we have every reason to think this trend will continue in 2017.”

In order to ensure that TPN does not lose its hallmark of quality as it meets this new wave of growth, the Hub is currently undergoing its ISO 9001 accreditation. It also innovated this year by dedicating the daytime Hub operations to unusually large or bulky freight, meaning it can be handled with expertise and guaranteed delivery dates.

Dozens of TPN Members have received their certifi cates of excellence in 2016, having passed the rigorous TPN operational audit. Duggan says it is this relentless commitment to high standards which will protect the business and its customers in the face of growing volume.

“Customers must choose a network which can cope with growth without service suffering,” he says.

NO

VEM

BER

20

16

TPN maintains quality standards by thinking ahead, says MD Mark Duggan

Mem

ber v

iew

Whether you are a TPN Mem-ber or a customer please share your views on the Network with us. If you have a story for TPN News contact Louise Cole at White Rose Media Ltd on 01609 771140 or email us at Louise@whiterosemedia.co.uk

Growth, quality and green credentials for SCS LogisticsLancaster-based SCS Logistics has been accredited with environmental and quality standards ISO 9001 and 14001. It has also successfully extended its Operator’s Licence, granted by the North-West Traffi c Commissioner, allowing it to double the size of its HGV fl eet.

“These are all rigorous processes, but they all stem from having really strong governance and systems in place,” says MD Sandra Cottam-Shea. “Running an HGV fl eet well requires total compliance, quality and sustainability.

“We are really pleased to have won this recognition and it puts us in a great position to continue the strong growth we’ve seen over the past year.”

SCS has recently invested in two tractor units, a rigid vehicle and fi ve new trailers to support customer requirements.

Pallet volumes are growing and will keep growing in all good networks.

This means it is essential that pallet networks have certain things in place to ensure that volume growth doesn’t mean poorer service levels. They need great communication, clear mechanisms for prioritising resource, and an emphasis on excellence all the way from the Hub to the farthest depot.

TPN has all of this and more. We innovate to make sure all pallet types are treated with the expertise they require – see our recent TPN XL

launch. We emphasise excellence, not as a catchphrase but in every operational detail. Ask about our rigorous audits if you doubt it.

And we think ahead. We are constantly striving to anticipate the market’s needs and your needs.

TPN: we deliver pallets. Not lip service.

Mark Duggan, MD

WELC

OM

E launch. We emphasise excellence, not as a catchphrase but in every operational detail. Ask about our rigorous audits if you

And we think ahead. We are constantly striving to anticipate the market’s

pallets. Not lip service.

Mark Duggan, MD

The newsletter of The Pallet Network

2 TPN NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

Vision-based technology keeps road users safe in Anglia

Durham-based Tiles Porcelain imports and distributes tiles across the UK

and globally. All of its UK deliveries are conducted by TPN Member Northern Freight Services.

The director responsible for customer service and the warehouse, Darren Wragg, says that, although some tile types are fragile to transport, they see relatively little damage in the 40-50 pallets a night they send out.

“We’ve used Northern Freight Services for three or four years now, and I have a good relationship with them,” says Wragg.

Tiles Porcelain has a 130,000 sq m of tiles in stock across its two warehouses and showrooms. It delivers to residences, architects, interior designers and the

building trade and is currently fulfilling a major order to tile all of the Ann Summers shops. It also supplies Disney stores and airport terminals. Northern Freight Services will handle all of these deliveries.

“We have tried other transport suppliers in the past but to be honest we no longer look for cheaper transport or rival companies – we are happy with the service NFS and TPN give us,” says Wragg.

Tiles Porcelain entrusts TPN with all its UK deliveries

Pallet Network Anglia (PNA) has invested in vision-based camera technology which warns the driver of his proximity to other road users and potential hazards.

Mobileye assesses and gives an audible warning about lane departure or a closing gap between the truck and vehicles in front, and it marks the presence and trajectory of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. It also reminds the driver of relevant speed limits.

The cameras have been fitted to each of PNA’s 20 HGVs.MD Richard Gilbert says the company felt road safety was too important not to invest in the

best technology available but was surprised at how much the drivers have appreciated the extra help. “We’ve had lots of positive comments about how much it aids safety and how much help they find it,” says Gilbert. “We’ve always been very strong on staff and public safety and taking on such sophisticated technology is a natural extension of that. It is expensive but if it keeps people safer, then it is worth every penny.”

Banbury-based TWE Haulage is the latest TPN Member to invest in a 3.5 tonne curtainsider.

The little vans are fuel-friendly and great for accessing tight urban or rural locations. “Despite its size it has a 900kg payload and a 500kg tail-lift so it’s a great collection and delivery vehicle for areas where you don’t want to take an HGV,” says commercial manager Ross Edden. The Renault van was supplied by Deker Solutions, all liveried and ready to work.

TWE Haulage says small is beautiful

www.thepalletnetworkltd.co.uk

TPN NEWS NOVEMBER 2016 3

TPN and Sheffield-based Member Hallam Express

played a key role in helping leading 3PL company Carlton Forest Warehousing achieve British Retail Consortium (BRC) Global Standards Accreditation, due to its ‘very robust’ track and trace systems.

Carlton’s group operations director Diane Ward says: “We have used TPN since April 2016 and I have great confidence in their systems. We handle very high profile accounts and have been audited by customers such as Marks and Spencer and Debenhams, as well as for our BRC accreditation. We need very good systems and so does our transport supplier.”

The company offers storage, distribution and repackaging to major food brands, as well as electrical goods, protective clothing, and branded packaging materials. It is delivering to major regional distribution

Robust systems and 100% compliance at Carlton Forest

Taylors and BBC educate cyclistsTPN Member Taylors

Transport Group helped the BBC to educate Nottingham and East Midland audiences about cycle safety in October.

BBC Notts presenters Sarah Julian and David Jackson visited Taylors Transport to discuss road safety. Julian mounted her bike and learned first-hand how to manoeuvre safely around the bulk and the blind spots of an HGV.

Taylors Transport Training School instructor Jonathan Else explained the careful and extensive training Taylors

drivers receive in protecting vulnerable road users. The company’s vehicles also meet the CLOCS construction safety standard for logistics, and feature voice alerts to other road users when the vehicle indicates it is about to turn.

MD Alan Taylor says the safety equipment is ‘invaluable’, particularly in London. However with the increase in cycling across the UK, all road users need to better understand and be aware of one another.

The feature was broadcast both on radio and local TV.

centres (RDC) daily and these require adherence to tight time slots and operational procedures.

“It costs us £1,000 a time if we miss our slot at an RDC,” says Ward. “In the months we’ve used TPN we’ve had 100% compliance.”

Carlton handles huge projects, such as the 410,000 tins of Christmas biscuits it has recently packed. “Christmas started in July for us, and we face both volume and complexity. TPN is very good and the Hallam team is committed and works in true

partnership with us, with regular strategy meetings.”

And the help goes beyond the standard contract. “Recently another contractor let me down on two live loads and the local TPN Member stepped in and solved it for us,” says Ward.

Sue Schofield of Hallam Express, with Diane Ward and Rachael Murray of Carlton Forest

The newsletter of The Pallet Network

4 TPN NEWS NOVEMBER 2016

www.thepalletnetworkltd.co.uk

The Pallet Network, Prologis Park Midpoint, Midpoint Way, Minworth, Sutton Coldfield, B76 9EHTel: 0121 313 4000 ● Email: mail@tpnmail.co.uk ● www.thepalletnetworkltd.co.uk

Produced by White Rose Media LtdContact: Louise ColeTel: 01609 771140Email: louise@whiterosemedia.co.uk

S lough-based European freight forwarder Superior Freight has developed a new business wing to put palletised

goods through TPN. Superior Express Transport joined TPN in July 2016, and brings all of Superior’s extensive logistics experience into the network.

Graham Felce is MD of the new division and operations director at Superior Freight. He says: “We get a lot of international freight into Heathrow which requires an overnight service.

“We tried another pallet network but TPN fits with us better commercially and in terms of our core values which are based always in great customer service. We mesh well with TPN,” says Felce.

The company runs six vehicles, which are almost all brand new, and it is sending a single double-deck trailer into the Hub every night, carrying between 50 and 70 pallets.

Felce says TPN runs differently to the other networks he has seen. “There are a lot of phone calls here, a lot of direct communication between depots. It seems retro compared to the high levels of automation we’ve come to expect today but actually there’s great communication. Depots do not put us under pressure to do the impossible, and issues are discussed and resolved. It works well.”

Superior service for Slough

Great service every time from Claude HellowellReliability and communica-

tion is key to customer satisfaction, says point of sale (POS) equipment manufacturer Bartuf Group, and these are two of the qualities which mean it trusts its pallet delivery to TPN Member Claude Hellowell.

Leeds-based Bartuf designs and makes point of sale installations which are sent to shop fitters and shops of all sizes across the UK, from corner stores to supermarkets. Most of its deliveries are next-day to fitters who are waiting on site for the goods.

“Reliability is essential to our customers,” says production manager Martin Bailey.

“Claude Hellowell works

really well for us on both the next-day deliveries through TPN and in supporting some of the big longer-term projects we

do,” says Bailey.The company can send

up to 20-30 pallets a day through TPN and very rarely

encounters any service glitch.“We are very happy with

the TPN network and Claude Hellowell. There’s great traceability and if we ever have questions, they are answered straight away. We very rarely have a problem and the fact that they are so good at communicating with us and our customers is key to that,” says Bailey.

He says price is secondary to service. “Price is important because it’s a big part of our overhead but at the same time we need great service. I don’t want to take a cheaper delivery option and lose a customer through poor performance,” he says.

West Bromwich-based Transervice Express Transport has launched a new website, featuring its pallet distribution, UK and European haulage, warehousing and its logistics training academy. Find Transervice at www.transervice.biz. You can also follow it @TranserviceTPN.