Pall-Ex invests in new urban fleet to support increased home delivery demand
Pall-Ex is hoping to secure additional market share, with the recent addition of new urban delivery vehicles to its fleet.
The new vehicles, including three Isuzu N75 Curtainside seven and a half tonne trucks, with tuckaway tail lifts, are the perfect tool for deliveries to residential locations, where access is often restricted.
The Isuzu trucks were the latest vehicles to be delivered to Pall-Ex’s Owned Operations, Cranleigh Distribution Services, Surrey, and Intercounty Distribution, Cornwall, during May. Their arrival will enable Pall-Ex to enhance its service offering in the home delivery sector, facilitating improved kerbside delivery options.
Business to Consumer (B2C) deliveries had steadily been on the rise for several years, as
e-commerce grew. However, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 saw this trend accelerate at a rate not many could have predicted.
According to the body which represents the eight UK pallet networks, The Association of Pallet Networks (APN), April of 2020 saw almost 36% of all pallets transported within pallet networks destined for residential addresses. This was a 157% increase on the volumes seen during the first quarter of 2020.
This increase was largely driven by changing buying habits, as consumers adapted to the lockdown lifestyle. Garden furniture, home improvement supplies, and even hot tubs were seemingly top of many people’s shopping lists.
Now, over 12 months on, little has changed, and the demand for home deliveries remains higher than before Covid.
Since November 2020, Pall-Ex has taken delivery of eight new vehicles and they signify the first wave of new investment in the fleet, with more than ten similar vehicles due to arrive soon. In total, the additions to the fleet will represent an investment of over £553,000 by Pall-Ex over the next five years.
Having identified the importance of supporting businesses with their growing B2C demand, Pall-Ex Group’s Managing Director – UK Business Units, Barry Byers, explained why the business chose to invest in the Isuzu trucks.
He said: “The home delivery sector is one that will only continue to grow. We understand how important it is to put in place the right tools and services to support our customers as they see demand continue to grow.”
“The new urban delivery vehicles are just a small part of our strategy to ensure that Pall-Ex and its membership continues to offer competitive solutions in a changing market.”
“Once again, Pall-Ex’s investment is a testament to its commitment to delivering excellence for every single one of its stakeholders.”
With the demand for B2C deliveries set to remain high, Pall-Ex has taken steps to secure future success within the sector thanks t the investment in the new fleet of vehicles.
Find out more about Pall-Ex’s quality home delivery services and kerbside delivery.