Stargate Logistics, a unique stockholding consignment facility launched by Lichfield-based Palletways in 2002 to enable customers to place orders for express deliveries later in the day than ever before, is to be rolled out across Europe.
The company has appointed Bob Richards as Divisional General Manager of Stargate Logistics to oversee the European development of the facility, which has provided Palletways with a key market differentiator in the UK. Richards has over 20 years experience in the logistics industry, having spent time at Christian Salvesen, Wincanton and TDG, as well as independently owned Bristol company, David Hathaway Transport Ltd.
Currently situated alongside the Palletways hubs in Lichfield and Edinburgh, Stargate Logistics dovetails with the company's national pallet network to provide suppliers of goods and retailers with an unrivalled overnight palletised freight service to individual or multiple locations.
Richards will initially be responsible for introducing Stargate Logistics to Palletways recently launched network, which covers the Benelux countries, Germany and parts of France. It will be based alongside the network's hub operation at Nijmegen in the Netherlands. The consignment stockholding facility will then be implemented across all other European networks.
Stargate Logistics offers a range of benefits to suppliers of goods and retailers. For suppliers it extends the window of sales opportunity every day as orders can be placed later than the norm and there is no need to
make special arrangements for urgent or emergency deliveries.
Retailers can also use Stargate Logistics to replenish stock during seasonal volume peaks and product promotions. The consignment facility also offers the sector a direct-to-store palletised freight solution.
A new Delta warehouse management system has also been introduced to the UK facilities to enable paperless management of the stock held within Stargate Logistics.