Fleet equipped with cameras

The investment by the Wolverhampton-based business is to drive increased efficiency and protect its unparalleled industry record of never losing a consignment during its 13-year history.

Pallet-TRack has carried out extensive trials of the camera additions to the FLTs to complement the already high levels of productivity, health and safety and security at its main hubs in Millfields Road, Ettinghshall; Welwyn Garden City; Glasgow and at its new northern hub in Wigan, which only opened last month.

The FLT announcement comes on the same day that the firm, founded in 2004, recorded its 20 millionth pallet milestone and is driven by the increased volume of traffic through its UK locations.

The trial of the eight mega pixel Raspberry Pi camera technology, linked to bespoke software developed by Pallet-Track’s own IT department, records all driver activity and transfers high-definition video to the company’s servers from where it can be monitored and stored for a closely controlled period of time.

The sense monitors activate the cameras when the FLT is in use and transfer the data when it is idle.

In addition, the FLTs also have cabin-controlled fork spreaders to further enhance both product security and integrity in line with the rapid growth of the business.

“We have been in business since 2004 and fiercely protect our unparalleled record of not losing a pallet in all of that time,” said founder and managing director Nigel Parkes.

“Back then, lower volumes meant that it was easier to manage. Today, as we pass the 20 million pallet mark where we are averaging 13,000 pallets per night in our main hub, it is essential that we invest in the right technology and equipment to continue to provide the excellent levels of service and product integrity in what is now a high-octane pallet network environment.

“We have proved through our trials over the last year that the new FLTs provide a transparent and almost instantaneous audit trail of what is happening in our hubs across the UK – they will complement our existing processes by becoming that extra set of eyes that provide that additional peace of mind,” he added.

Around 60 per cent of the new FLTs will be located in the 267,000 sq ft Wolverhampton hub with the remainder of the fleet being distributed between Welwyn, Wigan and Scotland.