Donegal Groupage celebrates fifth anniversary

Celebrating five years in business in January 2010, Donegal Groupage recently became a member of The Pallet Network (TPN). Managing director Gavin McNulty explains more.

Are you looking for a fast and reliable collection and delivery service? If so, why not give Donegal Groupage a call.
Established five years ago by Gavin McNulty, Donegal Groupage has grown into one of the North West’s leading transport and groupage companies, providing a comprehensive range of transportation logistics services. Strategically located between Lifford and Derry in the village of St. Johnston, and just seven miles from the Northern Ireland border, the company provides a first-class and reliable service, while through its partnership with The Pallet Network (TPN), offers a next-day nationwide delivery service.

Donegal Groupage also provides regular refrigerated services to and from the UK, and boasts an ever-expanding customer-base.
“You name it, we can transport it,” managing director Gavin McNulty says.
“We specialise in groupage and can guarantee a 24-hour delivery service to any of the 32 counties. Despite the recession, our list of clients continues to grow and our aim is to keep providing them with the best possible service. Our affiliation to The Pallet Network has enabled us to broaden the range of services we can offer to our clients.”
Donegal Groupage only joined The Pallet Network on July 10 last, but is already reaping the benefits.
“We bought the franchise for Co. Donegal. It has been a very positive development for us in that we now cover the 32 counties. In the early days of the company, our service was mainly between Donegal and Dublin,” he explains.

The Pallet Network is the number one distributor of palletised freight in Ireland with a network of 23 regional carriers, known as The Pallet Network Members. It is the largest network in Ireland with unrivalled coverage and reach, with 10 of its 23 members operating in single county territories.
The Pallet Network has a unique integrated link to The Pallet Network UK. Its 88 members enable its Irish sister company to provide a premium export/import service to and from the UK. It is the only network in Ireland or the UK that has achieved ISO 9001:2000 accreditation for both the central hub and for every network depot. This accreditation brings the company one step closer to achieving its ambitious plan to triple its turnover in three years.

The Pallet Network operates from a EUR15 million hub facility in Blanchardstown which has the capacity to handle 5,000 pallets per night. This is the largest of its kind in Ireland, and is strategically located within two miles of the M50, Dublin Airport and the Port Tunnel.
The company operates to standardised procedures and measures its performance across all depots with league tables, which are reviewed at regular meetings. Across Ireland and the UK, it operates a single tracking system with bar-coded labels, unique pallet numbers and digital imaged proof of delivery.
Its members are experienced local freight companies who not only deliver, but also provide their own national and international service through The Pallet Network.

“The Pallet Network is a great company to work for and we’re delighted to be one of 23 principles within their Irish network. Their unique track and trace system ensures that we know exactly where every pallet is at all times,” Gavin says.
Donegal Groupage can provide timed delivery services to most towns in Ireland. This is done for a small extra charge per shipment at the discretion of The Pallet Network members. No competitor has the capability of providing timed deliveries to the same degree as The Pallet Network because of its presence in nearly county in Ireland.
Pallets to the UK are loaded in the Dublin hub at 3am and shipped to the hub in Rugby for forwarding to the UK member depots for delivery. Imports from the UK are collected by the UK depots and shipped to Rugby where they are scanned and loaded onto double-deck trailers to Ireland.

Donegal Groupage have many blue-chip customers who have stayed with them through their transition from a small one-man operation to the well-known and highly-regarded company they are today. Like his father Kenneth, who is one of 18 staff on the company’s books, Gavin had worked as a transport manager before deciding to set up Donegal Groupage at the beginning of 2005.
Since then, the company’s fleet has grown from two to 11 trucks, while the trailer count currently stands at nine.
“We started out with one artic and one rigid. We now have six artics and five rigids, and nine trailers – six of which are curtain-siders and three are refridgerated. All of the rigids are MAN, while the artics are a mixture of Scania and DAF. Our fleet is one of the most modern around with none of the trucks being any more than five years old.”

Donegal Groupage prides itself on being able to offer its customers a fast, reliable and efficient service, complete with the personal touch.
“Our customers are very important to us and we will always go out of our way to look after them in whatever we can. We greatly appreciate their business and look forward to looking after their needs for many years to come,” Gavin adds.
Donegal Groupage operates from a large premises at Carrickmore, St. Johnston. The premises is divided between warehouse, office and yard space.

Gavin is fulsome in his praise of his drivers, pointing out that they have each played their part in the company’s success to date.
“We have 10 drivers and I must say they are 10 of the most reliable fellas you could ever come across. They know the country inside out. I can’t praise them enough.”
So there you have it. Donegal Groupage is clearly a company that can be relied upon to provide a top-class and comprehensive groupage and logistics service.

For further information about Donegal Groupage and what they offer, telephone
074-9148685/9148798 or email: donegalgroupage
@hotmail.com