‘Keep calm and deliver’ is the business as usual message from ELB Partners, a respected London transport company at the front line of the vital logistics sector servicing the capital during the coronavirus crisis.
Wimbledon-based ELB, which celebrates 50 years in business this year and holds the highest achievable accolade for transport safety in London, is dismissing lock-down rumours as it operates its day-to-day deliveries across the capital.
“It’s business as usual for businesses like ours that are vital to the efforts of keeping London going,”
said managing director of ELB Partners, Peter Eason, whose father George started the business in 1970.
“Of course, we are keeping our drivers safe so they take no unnecessary risks, but they are well trained and used to operating for long hours in isolation – it’s the nature of the job.
“London is a dynamic, cosmopolitan city that has survived many crises, including the pounding of two devasting world wars – these are challenging times, but the city will bounce back.
“We play a vital role in keeping the wheels rolling and maintaining vital supplies to Londoners.”
In an unprecedented move ELB Partners, a member of the award-winning Pallet-Track network is joining the UK’s eight major pallet networks that make up the APN, to offer their services for the express distribution of critical emergency and food supplies.
Between them the APN member businesses have 30,000 employees, over 750 depots, and offer 100 per cent national coverage by postcode.
ELB’s unique position in London offers the government knowledge of the capital’s distribution centres, essential businesses, hospitals and community hubs.
Peter added:
“We are proud to play our part in this unique collaboration as the entire UK industry joins forces to transport the most vital supplies. Collectively our sector has unrivalled resource and the individual companies are local experts with vast experience of express distribution and a key link in the UK supply chain.”
APN chairman Paul Sanders says:
“We are uniquely placed to offer our services to ensure that emergency supplies coming from anywhere and destined for any corner of the UK, can be delivered quickly, safely and reliably to support critical services, whether in rural or urban settings.
“We would urge the government to take advantage of our unique skills set and infrastructure at this time of national crisis. The supply of emergency supplies for critical operations – not least ensuring food in our supermarkets and well stocked pharmacies and hospitals – is one of the most important aspects of protecting the UK public during this crisis.”
Pallet networks are one of the most efficient forms of freight distribution enabling overnight deliveries of consignments of any size from a single pallet upwards, anywhere in the UK. Regional members collect freight from their local area, and transport it to the most appropriate regional hub, where it is reloaded onto vehicles returning to its destination area.
This model is particularly important at a time when many users of essential goods are requiring small frequent deliveries of vital goods with many drop points within a given locality. In 2019 UK pallet networks delivered 26 million pallets of goods.
ELB Partners has just invested £500,000 in a new fleet of Euro6 engine 50th anniversary commemorative vehicles to mark its half century in business.
“We’ve invested in the future because, beyond COVID-19, there will be a huge demand for quality service from both existing and new customers looking for experience, efficiency and environmental credability,”
added Peter.
For more information about ELB Partners, visit www.elbpartners.com.
