Prior to the formation of Pall-Ex it was impossible to transport small consignments of palletised freight quickly and cost-effectively. Hilary knew that this situation needed addressing urgently and she is responsible for revolutionising pallet distribution in this country by inventing a business model that would overcome this. 

Hilary managed to source her first premises and eventually, on 29 November 1996, Pall-Ex was born. On the first night of operation just 117 pallets were distributed through the fledgling network – a stark contrast to the 8,000 pallets that are now regularly distributed by Pall-Ex nightly.

Pall-Ex makes daily deliveries to every UK postcode as well as operating a scheduled daily service to 38 European countries. Both Hilary and her company can boast an impressive array of firsts within the logistics sector – they are innovators, not followers as evidenced by innumerable award accolades.

  European expansion is the next target on Hilary’s radar with her new Pall-Ex Italia, she is currently working hard to replicate the model in other countries across Europe, such as Poland, Spain, Portugal and Turkey. 

Just one year after its birth, Pall-Ex was the recipient of an award for the innovative and efficient nature of its business model. Since then, further recognition has been forthcoming from high-status organisations like the National Business Awards, Motor Transport Awards and many more, for its in-house IT system, its environmental achievements, investing in the community and operational excellence.

How Pall-Ex Works

The Pall-Ex network boasts a membership of around 100 of the UK’s leading hauliers. Each Pall-Ex member collects freight from customers and delivers it to the hub. There it is sorted and loaded onto the vehicle of the network member responsible for the destination postcode.

Through this efficient pallet delivery network, customers are able to send consignments ranging from single pallets to part trailer loads, anywhere within the UK or Europe. By sharing trailers with other freight bound for the same destination, haulage costs are reduced.