Palletforce eyeing opportunities in China

CEO Michael Conroy has indicated that Palletforce sees “exciting opportunities” in China and Asia.

In a statement published last week, Conroy said that – “thanks to the financial firepower” from its owners EmergeVest – Palletforce was able to invest more than £65m last year to build up its infrastructure and  new superhub, and this helped to drive up volumes in the UK and Europe.

Now, Conroy said, Palletforce was looking to build up more international capacity.

“The unknowns around Brexit mean we have also looked further afield, identifying and investing in some exciting opportunities for Palletforce and its members in China and Asia,” said Conroy. “It is no secret that China holds access to expanding economies and markets, with significant opportunities for both import and export of goods – that is why the prime minister led a trade delegation there recently.

“We want to help give all of our members, big and small, the opportunity to seize the initiative and offer new services to their customers. What we have delivered to our members is a massive differentiator; the modern-day equivalent of the Silk Road, connecting trade and people.

“We have adopted a three-pronged approach to our Asian activities. The first was investment in a new in-house, global freight-forwarding service, which launched last month. That will be followed imminently by a dedicated pallet service to and from China.

“The third strand is the roll-out of the Palletforce model in strategic areas of China. I am writing this from Shanghai where we are formalising the final details and, together with support from EmergeVest and its partners here, it is set to be a truly exciting prospect.”