Express palletised general cargo - reliable throughout Europe

A general cargo network that delivers consignments as efficiently and punctually as a parcel service - with this unique concept, the network provider Palletways is now gaining more and more customers in Germany. Shippers benefit from fast and reliable transport. The member companies - mostly regionally based medium-sized freight forwarders - are expanding their geographical coverage and also gaining new shipment volumes.

Reliable transport remains at the heart of every supply chain. The express connections offered by network provider Palletways are a particularly fast and flexible solution for the Europe-wide delivery of palletised general cargo. The company networks general cargo flows from 13 European countries and enables international transit times from 24 hours in premium shipping or from 48 hours in economical economy shipping.

The wide range of possible consignment sizes and weights in the Palletways network is also of interest to the shipping industry. From quarter pallets, barrels and bags to long goods and heavyweight machine parts, everything that a forklift truck can move fits into the Palletways system.

At the same time, Palletways pursues a high quality standard. With an extremely low damage rate of 0.1% across the entire network, Palletways is one of the safest ways to ship goods. What's more, all network partners in Europe work with the same IT system. This ensures reliable data exchange, standardised processes and maximum transparency for shippers. They can track the progress of their goods at any time - via PC, tablet and even smartphone

Area coverage: over 300 depots and central hubs in 12 countries

Palletways started in the UK around 20 years ago and is now one of the largest express pallet networks in Western Europe. With around 300 members and well over 300 depots with services from and to 13 European countries, Palletways has impressive coverage. The network provider itself operates the central transhipment bases - the hubs - in 12 countries.

The system is as simple as it is convincing: the connected general cargo forwarders deliver their palletised freight to the Palletways hubs and in return take other consignments destined for recipients in their region and deliver them to the recipient. Palletways transports international consignments with long-distance lorries to one or more hubs in the destination country. The member freight forwarders there deliver them - enabling Palletways to offer a Europe-wide door-to-door express service for general cargo for anything that fits on a pallet.

Convincing customer benefits: secure, transparent and with trusted partners

The shipping industry is increasingly demanding integrated, Europe-wide transport with a clear tariff structure. Palletways' range of services meets these requirements perfectly: as the simplest and fastest way to ship palletised general cargo within Europe. This gives companies with general cargo volumes the best of both worlds: They can continue to work with their trusted forwarder "on their doorstep" and at the same time benefit from all the security and qualities of a professional international network. Each consignment size is provided with fixed all-inclusive rates, so that shippers can calculate their transport costs with absolute reliability and transparency.

The pallet network is experiencing considerable growth, particularly in Germany as the largest and most important general cargo market in Europe and as a gateway to the up-and-coming industrial centres in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. In this country, the idea of a "parcel service for pallets" has been so well received that Palletways is planning to build a new, larger hub this year. The threshold of 50 member companies in Germany was recently passed, and international logistics service providers such as the Dutch SLI Group have also recently joined the German network.

The volume of consignments in the network increases with each new member - and as the volume increases, so does the number of pan-European liner connections. The advantage for the shipping industry in Germany and Europe: coverage increases and transit times continue to improve.

Added value for members: a reliable route to more cargo and turnover

The Palletways concept also offers interesting opportunities for the transport industry and opens up completely new possibilities in the tough price war on the transport market. With the help of Palletways, medium-sized transport companies in Germany can significantly improve their capacity utilisation and gain new customers. Conversely, regional freight forwarders can pave the way to Europe for their existing customers - with the highest quality and transparency. In addition, the international destinations also appeal to new potential customers in their region who they were previously unable to help with national transport.

The charm of the Palletways idea is that the more haulage companies join in, the more productive each one becomes. This is because each member contributes shipment volumes - Palletways partners thus strengthen each other. No investment in the vehicle fleet is required, as all trucks with a GVW of 12 tonnes or more that can be loaded and unloaded from the side fit into the Palletways system. In addition, Palletways grants its members territorial protection - so not only does the cake get bigger, but there are also no local competitors at the table.

The network provider provides its member companies with a tried-and-tested IT solution that has won several awards. Freight forwarders can use it to easily manage their shipments, invoices, quality indicators, etc. It provides shippers with real-time shipment tracking, invoice data, delivery receipts and much more. This software is a key argument for companies in the region to entrust international shipments to "their" regular forwarder.

Member companies receive professional marketing and sales support

Palletways also strengthens member companies in the marketing and sales of their services. In this way, medium-sized companies can also benefit from the marketing and sales opportunities of a large company. For example, the team at the German Palletways headquarters in Ratingen on the Lower Rhine supports members by providing company addresses from external sources and professionally selecting suitable target sectors. This enables freight forwarders to address the companies of interest to them in a targeted manner and with minimal wastage. The network provider offers its expertise in planning, designing and placing advertisements in print media and on the Internet as well as in setting up and optimising websites. Palletways produces brochures and customer flyers that are printed with the individual logo of the member company. The same principle is used for centrally planned direct mailings, which can be sent out in the name of the individual companies if desired. Joint trade fair appearances and customised public relations work for each member are part of the support provided by Palletways. This enables freight forwarders to present their company independently, but also as part of this network, which adds an interesting option to the general cargo market with Europe-wide transport of palletised freight at express level.