Pall-Ex has announced the opening of a new Northern Hub in Warrington.
The new facility will compliment Pall-Ex’s existing flagship site in Ellistown, Leicestershire, and will see a 400 per cent increase in pallets moving through the north.
Servicing 19 members across the north of England and Scotland, the Pall-Ex Northern Hub will be operated by Pall-Ex member Currie European, at its existing location five minutes from J20 of the M6, and 12 minutes from the M62.
As part of Pall-Ex’s investment in IT, equipment and staffing at the Pall-Ex Northern Hub, Currie European has trebled the number of staff employed on the night shift.
Kevin Buchanan, managing director at Pall-Ex, said: “This new Northern Hub will allow Pall-Ex to process a much larger volume of freight, benefiting the entire network, as well as the north of the UK.
“Trunks from our northern depots will be processed through the Northern Hub, resulting in reduced travelling costs and improved operational efficiencies. It’s testament to the strong, growing and supportive freight network that Pall-Ex is.”
The new Northern Hub has the capability to utilise 30,000 square feet of warehousing space as well as two acres of available parking for lorries, and will add to Pall-Ex’s environmental credentials by reducing carbon footprints of its members’ fleets.
Stephen Turner, managing director of Currie European Ltd, said: “As established members of Pall-Ex, we know how beneficial it is to be a part of such a robust and supportive network. The north provides huge opportunity for the logistics sector, with access to customers demanding a reliable service including next day delivery across the UK as standard.
“Taking responsibility of Pall-Ex’s Northern Hub will allow us greater capability to transport freight across the north of the UK, and will no doubt have a positive impact on providing a quality service to the whole of the country too.”
The new Pall-Ex hub replaces the previous facility in Carlisle, allowing greater participation from all members north of Sheffield.
Kevin added: “Over the past few years, Pall-Ex has been committed to executing a strategic growth plan, and the new Northern Hub is a major part of this.
“We have also invested in other established members, such as the acquisition of Bowden Logistics in February 2017. This demonstrates our commitment to creating centres of excellence around the country.
“As part of this, Bowden Logistics has been rebranded to Pall-Ex London. Based in Essex, Pall-Ex London will continue to cover the IG, RM, SS and part of the CM postcode areas.”