Pallet sales proving a worthy livelihood

Although MPW Logistics Ltd. has only been in business over a year, the company has already made an immediate impact in the sale of pallets, as co-owner Pat Walsh tells Cian O’Raghallaigh.

Pat, Melanie and Sean Walsh

Any company attempting to break into the business market may find it difficult but MPW Logistics Ltd is currently thriving in its Kerry base. Although it may still be early days for the firm, the optimism and enthusiasm shown by those in the company appears to be enough reason why it can continue to grow. It may be a difficult game but having overcome the initial hurdle of staying afloat in the early stages, it looks likely that the firm can continue to succeed in the business. By continuing to market its product in the way they have done up to now, MPW Logistics should be able to gain a foothold into more areas both at home and abroad.

The firm is based in Kilmurray, Cordal, Castleisland, Co. Kerry. It was set up by Melanie and Pat Walsh (from where the name MPW derives). The company is the first native logistics provider in Kerry to offer national, UK and European pallet and parcel delivery and collection service. Located in a spacious base, the company has 1,000 sq feet of warehousing space where the company stores its cargo.

The firm can also ensure a fast and efficient service. When the firm started working in April 2005, their aim was to gain a foothold into the sale of pallets. It was here that the company began to show initiative in developing its business. They became part of a special transport system called the Pallet Network. The Fourteen national routes were opened in Ireland with a number of alternative routes becoming available for business in the United Kingdom. Such avenues have given the firm the opportunity to succeed in the game.

One of the company's DAF trucks

The Pallet Hub sortation system is located beside Dublin’s M50. It is connected to over seventy UK mainland depots via the UK central hub at Leicester. The system has 15 depots in Ireland. It is controlled by the latest electronic transport management system which ensures that everything is delivered on time. Not only that a range of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are employed to show exact information on all parts of the service. These admi-nistrators are employed to collect all the information. The dockets are scanned to make sure that everything is delivered within a few hours of the delivery being completed.

With the addition of ABX Logistics to the pallet network, Pat is able to offer a service as far east as Siberia. His own business, though, is mainly based in Ireland. With these markets opening up, he will be hoping that the company can continue to be as successful as it has been up until now.
When one considers the development of his pallets over the last year or so, it is clear that MPW Logistics has been an extremely successful company. The company’s guaranteed next day delivery seems to have aided the company’s development.
“When the pallet network started up we had around 540 pallets going out every night. Now we have around 1000 going out every night. Some of them are being sold in Ireland while others are exported across the water, “he says.

Co-owner Melanie Walsh at the company HQ in Kerry

Though they have a relatively small personnel, they have managed to grow quite quickly in a short space of time. Pat is naturally hoping that the company can stabilise its position. After that is achieved though, his ambitions go further.
“We have six working here at the moment… we are starting to expand and the company is really continuing to grow. We only started advertising at the start of February and since then we have been trying to consolidate. Our intention then is to try to become the number one player at this business in Ireland,” he says.

Traveling at night, he has found, has benefited himself and those with whom he works. Pallets are collected in the evening for onward delivery to the hub in Dublin.

Pat Walsh pictured during another busy day at the office

Pat completed a B.A. and H. Dip in Education in UCC and finally an MBA in the Smurfit Business School and is delighted to be working in this position at the moment. His role mainly centres around the management and development of the company. He tries to stay out of the truck as much as possible but will cover when people are unavailable.
The company has also started to do general haulage for local companies based in Kerry. The company has become very modern over the last few years.

“We have satellite tracking in all the trucks. I have three Rigids, an Artic and two Vans. We are debating what to do at the moment; hopefully we can expand in the next six to eight months,” he says.
The innovation the company has shown has made it successful so far. Gaining a foothold both in Ireland and abroad has been challenging but it has worked. Over the next few years Pat will be hoping to continue the growth of the company. Judging by what he has achieved so far, there is little reason why not.