Tag: Pall-Ex

Whether you think of pallet deliveries as big parcels or small freight consignments, the networks are becoming stronger by the year, and are learning more than a few tricks from their parcels industry cousins. Marcia MacLeod reports.

When Palletline opened its doors as the first pallet network in 1992, the logistics industry looked on with interest. Here was a way to deliver less than full loads without having to drive the length of the country and without worrying about return loads. But, some asked, would it catch on? Any doubters must be eating their words, for today Palletline and nearly all of its competitors are enjoying double-digit growth in volumes handled.

Palletways claims a 12 per cent growth in the first quarter of 2006з, while United Pallet Network (UPN) has seen its business jump by an average 21 per cent month on month. Pall-Ex is recording annual growth of 24 per cent and The Pallet Network (TPN) says volumes are up a whopping 32.8 per cent over last year.

Even that is overshadowed by Pallet-Track, which claims its business has grown by an incredible 84 per cent. Only Palletline grew more slowly – 5 per cent over the past year, 10 per cent in the last six months – but this is probably because it transferred its dangerous goods business to Hazchem Network, of which it is part-owner.