Pictured above: (l-r) Simon Poole, Director of Avon Freight, Dawn Eagles, Operations Director at Avon Freight, and Michael Conroy, Chief Executive of Palletforce

Haulage firm Avon Freight has increased its depot space, workforce and fleet after a substantial rise in volumes.

The Redditch-based company, which is a member of Palletforce - the UK's leading palletised distribution network, has more than trebled its volumes in the last 18 months.

As the majority of that rise has come from volumes going through the Palletforce network, Avon Freight has now transformed a 30,000 sq ft unit previously used for storage into a depot dedicated to the Palletforce operation.

Avon Freight has also taken on three extra staff - a driver, warehouse operative and administrative clerk - and invested in its fleet.

The firm has refurbished the only double deck trailer it already had dedicated to Palletforce and has also bought another one and hired a further two.

"Our volumes have increased substantially over the last 12 to 18 months and these measures were necessary to cope with that without dropping our efficiency or level of service," said Director Simon Poole.

"We've now got four double deck trailers round tripping to the Palletforce Hub every night which gives us economies of scale and efficiencies.

"If we have further expansion this move will enable us to take on any more volumes we decide to go for as the whole operation is now much easier to handle."

Avon Freight was set up in the late 1970s as a groupage operation to Ireland - a service that continues to this day.

Simon Poole first became involved as a director in the 1980s before leaving the company, only to return in 1999 and buy the business.

Since then Avon Freight has grown from strength to strength with turnover rising from £1million to £7million.

"The last 18 months have been absolutely brilliant for us in terms of volume increase and we are confident that we can continue to provide a high level of service to cope with the extra demand," added Simon.

Due to the significant rise in volumes over the last 18 months Avon Freight recently won the Sales and Marketing Award at Palletforce's annual Gala Dinner.

"Avon Freight has had an absolutely phenomenal rise in volumes, made even the more impressive given the difficult economic conditions we are operating in," said Palletforce Chief Executive Michael Conroy.

"I am absolutely delighted, but not surprised, at their success as it comes from sheer hard work and determination to provide the best service possible - two trademarks of all our members."