Palletised Freight specialists Pallet Plus add greater flexibility to their network by adding 11 new MAN Trucks.

Award-winning Pallet Plus of Colchester has recently taken delivery of 11 New MAN Trucks and in doing so have strengthened their dedicated palletised goods delivery and collection service.

Ensuring customers receive a focused and flexible service the new fleet additions come in the form of one 12-tonne TGL,  seven 18-tonne TGM, one 26-tonne TGS rigids and two TGX 44-tonne 6x2 tractors. This mix of vehicle sizes ensures that Pallet Plus can continue to offer a delivery service platform that is built around the customer’s needs, is uber-efficient, environmentally aware and economically cost effective.  

Liveried in the traditional Pallet Plus colours of red with white writing and four black pallet-sized squares, featuring the company motto - “Think Pallet Delivery…Think Pallet Plus” all the vehicles will operate out of the Pallet Plus hub which nestles just minutes from the main A120, between the busy Essex county towns of Colchester, Harwich and Clacton.

The new vehicles are all powered by MAN’s latest-generation Euro 6e engines. Advanced in their design these robust power plants, the 4 cylinder D0834 in the TGL 12-tonners, the 6 cylinder D0836 in both the TGM 18-tonne, the 9 litre D15 in the TGX 26-tonne rigids and the D26 in the TGX 6x2 tractors, all offer outstanding performance and benchmark levels of efficiency.

Andrew Triolo, General Manager at Pallet Plus Limited, said: “We’ve established a great relationship with both MAN Truck & Bus, our local Sales Executive Mark Richmond and our local MAN dealerships, Harris Truck and Van, in nearby Witham, and Norfolk Trucks in Felixstowe. All parties involved recognise the importance of our operation and how their high level of service greatly impacts on our standing. I’m delighted to say that with their partnering approach they totally understand our business and offer us a consistent and very much appreciated high level of wrap-around care.”

Operating as part of the long-established Pallet Network (TPN), Pallet Plus can, with the aid of their other Pallet Network partners, help carry palletised freight or goods to anywhere in the UK, across to Ireland, or further afield into Europe.  

Upon arriving in the UK and to help reduce unnecessary downtime, the nine chassis cabs were transported directly to the body builder, in this case Micra Truck Bodies of Wakefield. Each of the vehicles was fitted with a lightweight Curtainsider body featuring rear barn doors and a 1.5 tonne capacity cantilever tail lift. The two tractors were prepared and PDI’d by Harris Truck and Van of Witham, liveried by The Sign Stop Colchester and delivered into Pallet Plus by MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd’s regional sales team. These GM cabbed tractors will pull a mix of 40-foot curtainsiders and LST extra-long high volume double deck stepframe trailers.    

Andrew added, “We pride ourselves in running an efficient fleet, our vehicles run at an average of 92 percent capacity which is far in excess of industry targets, and a crucial factor when considering ever-increasing fuel and operating costs.

 “As a business, we offer our customers a completely transparent and tailored level of service built on honesty, integrity, and reliability. Through our comprehensive 24/7 palletised delivery platform, which operates around both Euro Pallets and Standard Pallets, we can cover 98 percent of UK postcodes with a next day service. We also offer an economy service that guarantees delivery within three working days. Our next day timed service offers customers an AM or PM delivery, which is designed around their needs, and we can even provide a two day delivery service across most of Europe."

Pallet Plus has grown successfully through the challenging times of Covid and Brexit, today with a progressive growth strategy and a dedicated customer focussed team, they now operate 50 vehicles, the vast majority being MANs.

Gary Rowe, Managing Director at Pallet Plus Limited, commented, “We strongly believe that people make the difference, everyone on the Pallet Plus team understands the ethos of being committed to customer care. This ethos is something that we share with MAN and we’ve certainly witnessed this within their business.

“Early indications certainly look good and we’ve already noticed an improvement in mpg, when compared to the older vehicles, which will naturally positively improve our TCO. We like to ensure we offer our drivers a high level of comfort and safety throughout their working days, this is of primary concern, and we feel that these new MAN trucks deliver the high standards they require. Certainly, the comments and feedback we’ve had so far indicates once again that we’ve made the right choice.” Gary concluded.  

Mark Richmond, MAN Truck & Bus Sales Executive, added, “Pallet Plus has been a much-valued customer for 20 years now, having a close relationship means we have a firm understanding of the operation and how our high level of service, across the board, adds value to the business.

“We know that fuel is a big cost for any truck operator and we’re delighted to both see and hear that these vehicles are all delivering upon the customers expectations and our promise. We very much look forward to continuing this relationship.”

All MAN vehicles are supported by MAN Truck & Bus UK's Nationwide Commercial Vehicle Dealer network, with many operating extended hours, including round-the-clock servicing and customer-tailored solution maintenance.

The entire MAN range benefits from MAN's Mobile24 24-hour assistance service, which guarantees customers a professional roadside partner throughout Europe 365 days of the year.