Specialist carrier Parcelink Logistics is set to double its turnover in 2019 and expand operations as demand grows for its unique service.
Founded three years ago, the company specialises in delivering awkward long and thin items such as curtain poles and blinds that are easy to damage.
From the outset the service was designed without an automated hub, with parcels instead being manually sorted at Parcelink’s Operations Unit in Derby.
The resulting cost-effective and virtually damage-free service is proving hugely popular with customers because of its quality, safety and reliability.
The company swiftly passed the £2 million a year turnover and in 2019 is set to increase its turnover to £4.5 million as its reputation for excellence spreads. It currently handles more than 12,000 consignments a week.
In line with the projected growth, Parcelink is developing a new IT platform which will offer customers a dedicated portal providing total visibility throughout the delivery process andis also expanding its workforce.
As well as appointing three additional drivers the company has established a dedicated sales team of two and is poised to take on its first apprentice.
Director Sarah Squire, who founded the company after spotting a gap in the market, now has her sights set on building the company into a major player in the UK logistics industry.
Sarah said: “All of our business has been by word of mouth – our quality service speaks for itself. I have been extremely careful to keep sight of quality at all times while growing the business because that is what retains our customers.
“Retailers love our service – and so do their customers. We deliver items of up to 2.6 metres long without imposing a surcharge and our systems ensure vulnerable items are handled gently so that they arrive intact.
“These are exciting times for Parcelink and we are looking forward to extending our services and welcoming more clients on board.”
Despite being a young company, it boasts a top team who together have a combined 100 years of experience in the parcels industry.
Sarah herself has spent 20 years in logistics, including five with City Link just before it ceased trading in December 2014. It was there that she recognised the potential for offering a more bespoke service to retailers who require delivery of non-standard items.
After City Link’s demise she tested the water with one or two old customers then decided to strike out and establish her own carrier. The result was Parcelink.
Uniquely in the industry, Parcelink does not have an automated hub, relying instead on collecting parcels by van to its Operations Unit for manual sortation, before onward delivery to Yodel delivery depots for the final mile delivery.
This approach ensures that mis-routes and damage are virtually nil for items that would otherwise be susceptible to damage in automated systems.
