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1 t's all about teamwork
Page 24
Page 25
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On his third day as regional business development manager at Fortec Pallet Distribution Network, Andrew Harrison talks to Roanna Avison about the intricacies of the role and why he is so optimistic about this sector.
)allet networks are gaining in popularity in the haulage sector as operators realise that ii isn't cost-effective to offer ional and some times international coverage mselves. Instead they are coming together tetworks, operating from a central hub to wide the service that customers have come lemand.
simong the contenders within this crowded tor is Fortec Pallet Distribution Network. .drew Harrison has just joined the Rugby, Irks-based company as regional business Telopment manager with responsibility for etch that spreads from Essex up the eastern .. of the country. And he reports that despite competition, Fortec, which has 62 members. ; enjoyed steady growth.
Fite network has plans to increase the Tiber of licensees to 75 following its move i 13,000m2 hub (CM 15 March), but growth growth's sake isn't part of the philosophy. rrison explains: "By limiting the size of the work we're able to offer more value to our mbers than larger networks. If you're just ven by volume you run the risk of running out
of space and the time to move [all the pallets]."
The new hub will be able to handle 8,000 pallets in a 24-hour period; Harrison explains that at this level of throughput "things are still very controllable". He adds: "The new hub gives us a lot more space and time to we get everything right"
Building relationships
Ilarrison describes his new role as "everything to do with [the licensees1 relationship with Fortec... they have to do a number of things every day — such as dropping off at the right times and ensuring that collections are made to meet delivery times—in order for the system to work for them. And I'm here to ensure everything is in place between the licensees and the hub.
"We want members to earn and be successful. If! can help with anything along the way to ensure they reach that goal, then I will do."
He hopes to encourage the licensees in his area to make greater use of Fortec's international service. Fortec is part of Geodis and works closely with its parent to offer a daily pallet distribution network on the Continent.
But Harrison suggests that some UK operators lack confidence to work at international level: "But it really is no more difficult to gel a pallet to Germany than to Doncaster. In their minds some people think that's difficult, and it's myjob to help build their confidence [in international trade]."
The theory behind a pallet network is simple enough, but Harrison admits it is complicated in practice because-we deal with over 60 different companies that are all run differently, but which have to come together to give national coverage".
He suggests that the industry has no choice when it comes to working in pallet networks because of the pressures on operators: "Hauliers can't go back to the old days of buying lots of trucks and building big depots all over the country —and because of the peaks and troughs, even from the start of the week to the end of it, most operators will find that it makes sense to join a pallet network.
"This is the way forward because it's efficient, its service-driven, it's relatively simple to operate,and even though 'individual] operators only cover part of the country they are able to offer their customers a next-day service covering the whole country."
Harrison adds that the beauty of a network is that it isn't restricted to the big operators: "It suits those that move full loads and those that move part loads. We can also open up the export market to smaller hauliers, which many couldn't do on their own."
Fortec hopes to build on the fact that most of its senior employees come from an express background, dealing in parcels rather than freight: "We want to bring some the efficiencies of the express market into the pallet space. Whether it's a full load or just one pallet, the key is for it to be moved quickly. I think that is key not just to us but to everyone across the industry."
Flexible friend This need for speed is another reason why hauliers are joining pallet networks, says Harrison: "Customers no longer give three days' notice when they want a pallet collecter sometimes you only receive three hours' node That means operators need to be so much mor flexible than they have been in the past.And t offer this flexibility, combined with natiom coverage and next-day delivery, operators h av no choice but to turn to networks for help.The can't do it all themselves."
This, he believes, means the future for hi new employer is rosy: "Not that there won't b challenges in the future, but the prospects ar definitely positive." •