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EV Cargo Announces Senior Leadership Transition: Appoints Heath Zarin as Executive Chairman and Simon Pearson as Group CEO

Leading global transport and logistics group EV Cargo has announced that, effective 1 January 2025, Heath Zarin will take on the role of Executive Chairman. Since founding the company in 2018, Heath has served as Chairman and CEO, leading the organisation through a period of remarkable growth and innovation.

Under his leadership, EV Cargo has rapidly developed into a global leader in transport and logistics, recognised for its innovative solutions and customer-centric approach. Heath’s vision to create an integrated logistics network has driven the company’s growth, leading to significant acquisitions and organic expansion. As Executive Chairman, Heath will focus on guiding the overall strategic direction of EV Cargo to deliver exceptional value to its customers, employees and stakeholders.

Additionaly, Chief Strategy Officer Simon Pearson will be promoted to Group CEO. As Chief Strategy Officer, Simon has been instrumental in shaping EV Cargo’s strategic direction and expanding its global capabilities. Simon has successfully led initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and customer service, contributing to significant growth and profitability for the organisation.

Simon’s unique contribution to the creation of EV Cargo, combined with his strategic vision and leadership skills, positions him well to lead as Group CEO. His focus on innovation, operational excellence and customer satisfaction will continue to drive the company’s growth and success.

This leadership transition is part of a well-planned succession strategy aimed at ensuring continuity while positioning EV Cargo for future growth. With a commitment to best-in-class standards for corporate governance, EV Cargo decided it would be a good time to separate the roles of Chairman and CEO. Creating and separating the roles of Executive Chairman and Group CEO promotes a more robust governance structure, enhances accountability, and supports effective strategic and operational leadership within the organisation.

Heath Zarin, Executive Chairman of EV Cargo, said: “Founding and leading EV Cargo has been an incredible journey. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished together and thankful to everyone who has contributed to the successful development of EV Cargo.

“I am excited to transition to a new role that allows me to continue to lead EV Cargo with a focus on our long-term vision, strategy and corporate governance. Our commitment to growth, innovation and sustainability will remain at the forefront of our strategy as we strive to deliver exceptional value to our customers, employees and stakeholders.”

Simon Pearson, incoming Group CEO of EV Cargo, added: “I am honoured to step into the role of Group CEO. I look forward to building on our successes and leading EV Cargo into the next chapter of growth and innovation. Together with our talented team, we will focus on enhancing our capabilities, generating value from the major investments and strategic developments we’ve made in recent years, while staying true to our mission of managing supply chains for the world’s leading brands.”

Heath and Simon’s combined leadership, along with the incredible team and global workforce, will see EV Cargo expand its position in the global transport and logistics industry and enhance its ability to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

Sector First Showcase Sees Palletforce Strengthen Customer Relationships

A customer showcase event, the first of its kind in the pallet network sector, has allowed Palletforce members to strengthen customer relationships and secure new business by giving them an insight into the operational excellence at the beating heart of the network.

Over 100 attendees including Palletforce members and their customers joined the showcase event at the Palletforce SuperHub in Burton upon Trent which included presentations, a complete tour of the national hub and a behind-the-scenes look into the quality processes that underpin the network’s reputation for customer and delivery excellence.

An exclusive tour through the centre of the SuperHub immersed customers in the energy and scale of the network operations, where freight from 15,000 daily trading customer accounts is handled every night.

There was an opportunity for customers to experience Palletforce’s patented technology in action, including instant pallet weighing, scanning and image capture, which allows it to provide real-time updates and unrivalled freight visibility as goods pass through the hub.

The award-winning systems deliver efficiency benefits, helping decrease turnaround times and allowing members’ trucks to return to their depots earlier.

Simon Bradbury, Palletforce sales director, said: “We are fortunate that we have the SuperHub as a sector-leading facility to showcase the infrastructure, processes and technology that is the bedrock of our network operations.

“It’s fair to say customers were blown away by the scale of our hub operations, and how the efficiency of our processes, combined with the award-winning technology deployed on our forklifts, helps generate additional customer value.

“The event helps our members retain and win new business, as well as cementing customer relationships. It has really given customers a unique insight and better understanding into how the entire network is focused on delivering excellence and the highest possible quality service.

“We also discussed a range of other exclusive benefits including our EV Scope emissions reporting tool, our commitment to quality through SMETA accreditation and how Palletforce is the first network to achieve the RoSPA Order of Distinction for excellence in health and safety.”

Anthony Delaney, sales and marketing director at Palletforce member Onpoint Group, said: “The showcase event has helped us strengthen our customer relationships and secure additional new business. Our customers were very impressed with the hub operations and those who may have been hesitant to use a pallet network were converted by the quality processes, technology and skilled people than underpin our service offering.”

Palletforce Earns RoSPA Order of Distinction for Exceptional Safety Standards

EV Cargo’s Palletforce is continuing to set health and safety standards in the sector after becoming the first UK palletised freight network to receive the prestigious Order of Distinction from RoSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) for earning its 15th consecutive Gold Award.

The Order of Distinction recognises Palletforce’s remarkable consistency in displaying the very highest levels of health and safety in the workplace for 15 consecutive years.

Palletforce prioritises safety on a daily basis with an unrelenting focus on the safety and wellbeing of its employees and visiting member drivers to ensure everyone gets home safely every day.

The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards are the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the UK and recognise organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work.

Palletforce works closely with its 120 member transport businesses to drive the highest levels of safety through the implementation of the latest health and safety procedures and investment in welfare facilities for staff and visitors.

Palletforce Health and Safety Manager Beverley Knight said: “It is an amazing honour to receive an Order of Distinction from such a prestigious organisation as RoSPA.

“The exceptional levels of safety and long-term consistency required to achieve this are a testament to how hard everyone at Palletforce works to maintain standards coupled with our ongoing investment in safe operating processes to ensure we continue to lead the sector.

“We know that accidents at work and work-related ill health not only cause major disruptions to business processes, but the effect on quality of life to the individual cannot be understated, so our safety procedures are never taken lightly.

Mark Tapper, Palletforce Chief Executive Officer, added: “To be awarded the gold standard from RoSPA for 15 years has needed investment, innovation and dedication as well as a laser-like focus on the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and visitors to drive continuous improvement.

“Palletforce is an ethical and socially responsible company and keeping both our staff and our visitors safe is central for us and is a key part of our governance and sustainability strategy.”

The RoSPA Awards are one of the most prestigious and recognised schemes in the world with almost 2,000 entries every year across nearly 50 countries and a reach of over 7 million employees.

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said: “Workplace accidents don’t just pose financial risks and operational disruptions; they significantly impact the quality of life for individuals. This is why acknowledging and rewarding excellent safety performance is vital.

“We congratulate Palletforce for winning a prestigious RoSPA Award and showing an unwavering commitment to keeping employees, clients and customers safe from accidental harm and injury.”

Service Quality & Network Scale Draws FGT To Palletforce

EV Cargo’s Palletforce continues to strengthen its network in strategic areas with the addition of new member hauliers, and West Sussex business FGT is the latest to join the Palletforce ranks.

Based in Bognor Regis, and established in 2004 as F&G Transport, the business operates from two strategically located sites with a combined 30,000 sq ft of warehousing space, offering a comprehensive range of distribution solutions, container services and contract logistics.

Catering to a diverse client list across the manufacturing, home, garden supplies and automotive sectors, FGT’s business ethos has consistently centred on the development of its pallet network operations.

Covering western PO postcodes around Fareham and Wickham, the business has joined Palletforce to capitalise on its exceptional service levels and harness the expansive reach of its network to ensure customers benefit from unrivalled UK-wide service.

Emma Lindsley, FGT Managing Director, said: “Service, quality and credibility are crucial to our business and joining Palletforce provides us with all of that and more.

“Through this partnership with one of the biggest and best pallet networks, Palletforce will be able to support our growth aspirations. The quality of the entire network and its membership will ensure we uphold the highest service levels across the UK, further strengthening our commitment to customer satisfaction and operational excellence.”

Chris Dennigan, Palletforce Member Relations Director, said: “We’d like to welcome Emma and the entire team at FGT to Palletforce. The quality of the Palletforce network offers our members and their customers the stability of unwavering, best-in-sector customer service.

“It’s for that reason that we continue to gain significant market share as our members benefit from a collaborative approach which delivers unrivalled service continuity and consistent performance that their customers trust.”

Unrivalled Member Support & Network Stability Attracts New Member To Palletforce

EV Cargo’s Palletforce is continuing to strengthen its national network by adding new quality members as it maintains a focus on delivering exceptional customer service and an unrivalled customer experience.

Based in Staffordshire, Customer 1st Logistics is the most recent business to join the award-winning Palletforce network with ambitious plans to grow its customer base as it takes over responsibility for WA14-16 postcodes around Altrincham and Knutsford in Cheshire.

Led by Mark Whitehead, who was a director of P2P Logistics for 20 years, and Jackie Doolan, an experienced former pallet network Customer Service Manager, the business has joined Palletforce to access the unrivalled member support it offers.

Director Mark Whitehead said: “Palletforce has given us a lot more opportunity to grow our business in the way we want to. They have gone out of their way to help us to get where we want to be, and I have never had that sort of support from a network before.

“I have not known another network listen to members like Palletforce does and it’s more forward-thinking than other networks.

“We are very driven people, and our goal is to deliver significant growth across our network operations within two years. We have already picked up custom since joining Palletforce and we place a massive emphasis on being customer focused and driving forward the customer experience.

“Palletforce can really help us do that. My experience is operational while Jackie’s is more commercial and, with the support of the Palletforce network, we know we can provide exactly what customers want.”

Mark Tapper, Palletforce Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are pleased to welcome Customer 1st Logistics as we continue to add strength and experience across the network. It’s a highly motivated business, driven by a desire to offer a quality-focused service and completely aligned to our network ethos of prioritising customer service and delivery excellence.

“In the current market conditions, Palletforce is standing tall as a robust network, whose operational and financial stability, experience and dependability is trusted by businesses across the UK on a daily basis.

“We pride ourselves on providing an unrivalled level of support to members across a range of growth-enabling area and that’s why we continue to recruit and retain the best network hauliers.”

Palletforce Wrings In The New Year With Quality Signing

EV Cargo’s Palletforce has got 2024 off to the strongest of starts with the recruitment of one of the South West’s most respected names in road distribution.

Based in Hallen, South Gloucestershire, Wrings Transport operates 65 vehicles and is joining an express pallet network for the first time to help create additional commercial opportunities and drive business growth.

Operating across three sites and with 100 employees, Wrings Transport was started in 1995 by Managing Director Stuart Wring and is taking on south-west BS postcodes around Weston-super-Mare.

The business is a renowned and respected operator in the region and will ensure Palletforce members and their customers continue to benefit from best-in-postcode service, unrivalled quality and an unbeatable customer experience.

Stuart has recently finished a term as Chair of the Transport Association, a trade organisation championing quality and family values, which includes 18 Palletforce members.

Stuart Wring, Managing Director at Wrings Transport, said: “Joining a pallet network was a strategic decision as it fits well with our current infrastructure and operational platform, where we have the capacity and capability to handle additional palletised freight.

“With volumes fluctuating across the industry, it also ensures we can offer our customers an agile, scalable and sustainable solution for smaller consignments.

“We know many Palletforce members in the Transport Association and their ethos of quality and strive for excellence is well-aligned with our business, so Palletforce was the obvious choice for us.”

Mark Tapper, Palletforce Chief Executive Officer, said: “Wrings Transport is an extremely respected operator and certainly the stand-out pallet network member in the area, so we are very happy that they’ve turned to Palletforce for their first foray into network operations.

“The move lays down a marker for our intentions in 2024 as our focus continues to be on strengthening our network, driving stability and consistency, and maintaining our reputation for delivering unrivalled customer service.”

EV Cargo One