As the industry battles with high turnover and an ageing workforce, the physical demands placed on employees are drawing increased scrutiny. The latest government data shows nearly 40% of UK logistics businesses are struggling to fill vacancies. While automation garners attention, many warehouses still rely heavily on manual processes – and it’s here that equipment upgrades can have the most immediate impact.

“Better conditions start with better equipment,” says Phil Chesworth, Managing Director at Pallet Trucks UK. “If you’re asking someone to lift, push, and transport heavy loads all day, you have a duty to ensure they’re using tools that minimise strain and reduce injury risk. It’s a matter respect, efficiency, and staff wellbeing.”

The company has seen growing demand for ergonomically designed pallet trucks and scissor lift tables that reduce physical stress on workers. These pallets not only help to avoid workplace injuries – a leading cause of absence in logistics – but can also serve as a valuable retention tool.

According to the British Safety Council, musculoskeletal injuries remain one of the most common reasons for long-term sickness among warehouse staff. Providing safer, easier-to-use handling solutions shows a tangible investment in the workforce – which can make all the difference in an industry where margins are tight, and staff loyalty is often hard-won.

“As competition for labour intensifies, we’re finding that companies who invest in the wellbeing of their warehouse teams see better morale, fewer injuries, and greater staff retention,” adds Chesworth. “It’s becoming a competitive necessity, particularly for businesses that cannot afford to compete with industry giants when it comes to pay.”

For businesses looking to future-proof their workforce, investing in the right manual handling equipment could just be the smartest move they make in 2025.

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The pallet trucks, each with a 2.5-tonne load capacity and built to accommodate standard UK pallets, are part of a highly specialised and carefully managed contract. With complex technical requirements and logistical challenges, the order represents one of the most detailed and ambitious projects the business has undertaken to date.

Phil Chesworth, Managing Director at Midland Pallet Trucks, said, “Supplying the Ministry of Defence is an honour and a testament to the strength of our products and the dedication of our team. From the initial consultation to the final dispatch, this order required a huge team effort and close attention to detail. We’re immensely proud of everyone involved, from those in the warehouse building the trucks, to the staff coordinating transport, to those making sure even the smallest specifications were met.”

The pallet trucks, designed to handle the demands of tough industrial environments, will now be supporting operational efficiency across various military facilities. Built with durability and performance in mind, they offer low-maintenance reliability – critical for fast-paced, high-pressure settings like those operated by the MoD.

The scale of the order has seen multiple articulated lorries loaded at Midland Pallet Trucks’ distribution hub, with the first two trucks already enroute and twenty more to follow. Each truck had to meet strict technical requirements, down to the precise fork width, roller composition, and pallet compatibility.

This order is a glowing example not only of Midland Pallet Trucks’ commitment to quality, but also its ability to deliver on large, complex contracts. As the final deliveries roll out, this success story serves as a reminder that investment in robust, well-designed manual handling equipment – like pallet trucks, lift tables, and stacker trucks – remains a cornerstone of efficiency.

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Developed in partnership with Prologis UK, the project will consolidate Palletways’ operations, create space for future growth, and raise the bar for sustainable logistics buildings in the UK. The new site, located a short distance from the company’s current site at Fradley Park, will look to consolidate their operations in the area. Around 250 existing jobs will be secured for the Lichfield area, with the new facility set to create clear opportunities for further employment growth in the years ahead.

Palletways has been based in Lichfield since 1994, when it first established its operations in the UK. What began as a single site has grown steadily over the past three decades into a network that now supports more than 140 independent members and handles close to 6 million pallets each year.

Rob Gittins, Managing Director of Palletways UK, said: “Our decision to remain in Lichfield reflects the strength of our connection to the area and the role it has played in our success over the past 30 years. This new facility represents the next step in that relationship — creating space for growth while keeping us firmly rooted in the place where we began.”

By consolidating operations into a single, purpose-built site, Palletways will reduce handling times, improve tracking accuracy, support earlier finish times and more reliable delivery windows. The additional space and flexibility will also allow the business to trial new technologies and streamline logistics processes — helping its independent members operate more efficiently and deliver stronger service to their own customers.

Gittins added: “It has been clear for some time that we are outgrowing our existing site at Fradley Park, which has served us so well for nearly 30 years. We began looking at how we could secure local jobs with minimum disruption, create opportunities for long-term growth, and further strengthen our commitment to sustainability. We’re very excited about these plans, developed in partnership with Prologis, which reinforce all of those objectives. Our new headquarters will allow us to build on our service levels, provide better facilities and training opportunities for our staff, and offer even greater support to our members.”

A key factor for Palletways in selecting Prologis as development partner was the company’s ability to deliver sustainable logistics buildings that meet both environmental and operational needs — a close fit with Palletways’ ambitions for its new headquarters. This, backed by Prologis’ robust balance sheet and access to capital means that the development could be delivered for Palletways with confidence, once planning approval is in place.

The 640,000 sq ft facility will be delivered by Prologis and target BREEAM Outstanding and EPC A+ standards, placing it among the top-performing industrial buildings for energy efficiency. Features will include a 600kWp+ rooftop solar PV array, smart metering, rainwater harvesting, and high-efficiency systems to reduce both emissions and running costs. The new HQ has been designed with employee wellbeing and community connectivity in mind. The building will feature warehouse skylights to maximise natural light, alongside secure cycle parking and EV charging to encourage more sustainable commuting. A dedicated amenity space for Palletways workers will include soft and hard landscaping, seating and a covered area. A new cycleway and footpath, winding through natural landscaping and featuring native species will improve local access between Fradley and Streethay, creating benefits beyond the building itself.

Paul Weston, Regional Head at Prologis UK, said: “This is a development that supports jobs, productivity and sustainability in equal measure. It reflects the ambitions of a long-standing logistics leader, while also contributing to a cleaner and more efficient built environment. It also aligns with the UK’s broader goals to modernise infrastructure, support regional growth and enable more sustainable ways of working. By investing in high-quality logistics facilities outside major city centres, projects like this help strengthen local economies and future-proof the country’s supply chain network.”

The proposals are currently subject to planning approval. A public consultation is now underway, with a planning application expected to be submitted to Lichfield District Council in summer 2025. Subject to approval, construction is expected to begin in 2026, with occupation targeted for 2027.

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IPP, which has its UK base in Coventry and specialises in providing reusable wooden pallets for major manufacturers and FMCG brands, is part of Faber Group, which has published its third annual sustainability report. IPP operates a closed pallet pooling network throughout Europe and its pallets – known as load carriers – are built using FSC/PEFC certified timber and maintained to optimise their lifespan.

Faber Group supported 131 million load carrier movements across Europe in 2024 – a substantial increase of 11 per cent, or 13 million movements compared to 2023 – all while successfully reducing overall carbon emissions. The companies have implemented an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy with three clear sustainable development goals to help them achieve an ambitious target of becoming net zero by 2045.

The three key areas it is working on to improve sustainability include responsible production and consumption, climate action and partnerships.  Priority actions include reducing transport emissions via its pallets, reducing the footprint of its logistics operations by 30 per cent by 2030 and maximising the lifespan of its pallets to reduce production and consumption.

IPP has already made substantial progress to reduce emissions from its logistics operations by becoming the first company to achieve a European two-star Lean and Green rating. The Sustainability Report 2024 demonstrates that its circular economy business model is driving real change and real benefits for the environment.

Andy Maddock (pictured), regional managing director for IPP UK&I, said: “The third edition of Faber Group’s Sustainability Report shows the further integration of our ESG pillars across the business and how they are delivering sustainable value for IPP and our customers. We are proud of our collective progress in reducing our carbon emissions while working towards our goal of net zero. Collaboration, digitalisation and sustainable procurement will continue to be key drivers in enabling us to realise our ambition and deliver change with real impact.”

Ingrid Faber, CEO of Faber Group, said: “In 2024, we were able to help our customers avoid more than 40,000 tons of CO₂ emissions through our circular pooling model, a steady increase of more than eight per cent of saved emissions in comparison to 2023. We also retained our EcoVadis Platinum rating, placing Faber Group in the top one per cent of its industry for the fourth consecutive year. The launch of our tech division Faber LABS and investments in digitalisation further strengthen the company’s ambition to become Europe’s most sustainable pooler.”

IPP has a wealth of eco credentials, including a platinum Ecovadis sustainability rating, a Lean and Green two-star European rating and is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact – a voluntary initiative to implement universal sustainability principles.

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Picture this: a freight truck is being loaded. The cargo list is logged, the space is mapped out, and the deadline is tight. But something doesn’t add up. A load doesn’t fit as expected. A repack is needed. Time is lost. Multiply that by dozens of deliveries a day — and across hundreds of logistics hubs — and the margin for error suddenly becomes very expensive.

Now shift scenes. A maintenance team heads out to assess a stretch of highway infrastructure. They arrive with measuring wheels and manual tools, needing hours — sometimes days — to gather data that may already be out of date by the time it’s uploaded. It’s tedious, repetitive work that carries real safety implications when precision is off.

Or think about how often precise measurement plays a role in everyday operations — whether it’s mapping out storage space in a warehouse, checking clearances on a factory floor, laying out structures on a construction site, or planning safe movement in a transport hub. These environments are constantly changing, and even small inaccuracies can cause delays, create safety concerns, or force costly adjustments. Without dependable, real-time data, decisions are made on assumptions — and that’s when problems start.

In all of these scenarios, the same problem quietly holds things back: a lack of fast, accurate, and trustworthy measurement data.

That’s the challenge GPC, a UK-based software company, is solving — with a suite of intelligent 3D measurement systems designed to bring clarity and control to complex environments. GPC’s approach is rooted in precision — providing consistent, real-time data that helps teams move forward with confidence. GPC’s software is built to bring accuracy where it matters — supporting real decisions in fast-moving, real-world environments.

In freight, GPC’s software automatically measures cargo dimensions, reducing manual checks and helping operators optimise every inch of space — without guesswork or delay. In highways, GPC provides highway scanning for potholes and defects, this replaces slow, error-prone fieldwork with digital accuracy. Teams get the data they need safely and quickly, so projects stay on schedule.

And in bespoke environments — factories, warehouses, utilities, and more — GPC designs custom 3D solutions built around the client’s specific requirements. No unnecessary tools. No generic templates. Just systems that fit and function exactly where they’re needed.

The power of GPC’s solutions isn’t just in the measurement itself — it’s in the integration. Designed to work with existing control systems, planning tools, and digital platforms, GPC’s technology ensures that precise data doesn’t sit in isolation — it’s immediately actionable. The result? Fewer delays. Smarter planning. Safer outcomes.

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Rune Wee, Head of Product Development at one of Norway’s largest online equipment suppliers, Wee.no, is launching a new transport system for loaded containers. The system, named ContainerWheels 2-in-1, offers a simple yet powerful solution for lifting and towing containers without the need for heavy machinery or permanent infrastructure. Following two years of product development and testing, the system from Wee.no has now been granted patent protection in 45 countries.

Robust and practical

ContainerWheels 2-in-1 consists of two galvanized modules and a front drawbar. Each module features dual solid wheels and a manual crank-lift mechanism. The units slide into the container’s forklift pockets, allowing users to lift the container approximately 15 cm off the ground. Once elevated, the container can be towed with a forklift, car, wheel loader, or tractor.

The system will initially be available in two models, capable of handling loads of 10 and 20 tonnes, respectively.

Inventor and product developer at Wee.no, Rune Wee, explains: “ContainerWheels 2-in-1 is designed to meet the requirements of companies that frequently move or reposition containers in ports, warehouses, construction sites, storage facilities, or recycling stations. The system is both robust and practical to utilize, and is constructed to handle uneven terrain during transport.

“What began as a practical idea is now a fully realized product with global potential. We’re excited to introduce this solution to international users, and believe that the new system will transform logistics for many companies globally,” concludes Wee, Head of Product Development at Wee.no. Watch this clip to see the syswtem in use.

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The new logistics centre, located on a 274,000 m² plot, will feature two high-bay clad-rack warehouses with a total capacity of 182,500 pallet positions, operated by 20 stacker cranes. AR Racking will be responsible for the design, manufacturing, and installation of a tailor-made storage solution, optimized to ensure maximum capacity, operational efficiency, and long-term reliability.

In addition to the pallet warehouses, the site will include a shuttle-based automated warehouse with more than 200,000 bin locations, integrating advanced robotic technology for order picking and the automatic handling of trays and containers.

The centre will also host JYSK’s new headquarters for Spain and Portugal, creating approximately 250 new jobs and setting a benchmark in sustainability. The building will be LEED Gold certified and include solar panels to cover part of the facility’s energy demand.

The warehouse’s material flow system will be developed by technology provider KÖRBER, which will implement an automated system ensuring synchronized and traceable product flows throughout the logistics process.

“This project reinforces our expertise in large-scale automated logistics centres and consolidates AR Racking as a strategic partner in storage solutions for leading international companies,” said AR Racking’s commercial management team.

The facility is expected to be fully operational by 2028 and will play a key role in supporting JYSK’s growth in markets such as Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Until then, JYSK will continue operating from its leased logistics centre in Cheste, Valencia.

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Asco Foods had outgrown its previous facility, prompting not only a move but the need for a scalable solution that would maintain service levels and minimise downtime. The new distribution centre, covering over 51,000 ft², required a strategic storage design to accommodate growing volumes and a diverse product range, many of which require temperature-controlled environments.

“Our growth meant we needed to act quickly but strategically. The storage solution implemented has enabled us to relocate seamlessly while improving inventory management and stock visibility, making the most of every cubic metre of the new warehouse,” said Sunny Chadha from Asco Foods.

The system selected was a high-rise Pallet Racking installation (11,500 mm) covering both ambient and chilled areas. The flexibility of the design, adapted to the pallet type used (1000 x 1200 mm), was crucial to meeting tight project deadlines, with the customer eager to start operations quickly to avoid additional rental costs.

The project was completed in two phases: the first in January and finalised in May, with all timings strictly adhered to. Close coordination between AR Racking and its official distributor, STS Storage Systems, ensured a smooth and efficient execution.

“At AR Racking, we applied our structural design expertise to tailor the system to the customer’s technical and scheduling requirements. The close collaboration with STS’s engineering and installation team was key to delivering a robust and scalable solution,” said Gonzalo Crovetto, Project Manager at AR Racking.

Richard Tyrell, Project Lead at STS Storage Systems, added: “The success of this project came down to fully understanding Asco Foods’ challenges and translating them into a flexible, efficient, and high-quality solution. Working with AR Racking gave us the confidence to meet every commitment to the customer.”

With this new infrastructure in place, Asco Foods has strengthened its logistics capacity and is now well positioned to support its continued expansion in the UK market and beyond. A solution designed for today, with a clear vision for the future.

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IPL, a manufacturer of rigid-plastic products is merging with Schoeller Allibert, a manufacturer of reusable transport packaging. The proposed merger creates an international sustainable packaging producer with a manufacturing footprint in 27 locations across Europe and North America, and a combined proforma annual revenue of over US $1.4 billion in 2024.

IPL manufactures sustainable, rigid-plastic products for the food, consumer, environmental and agriculture sectors, largely in North America, with significant manufacturing operations in the UK. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, it has approximately 2,500 employees across 16 manufacturing sites and reported revenue of US$822 million in 2024.

Multiple Acquisitions

Schoeller Allibert manufactures returnable transport packaging and provides related services, serving customers across sectors such as automotive, beverage, food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, retail, and material handling, primarily in Continental Europe. The company is the amalgamation of eight different plastic pallet and container companies brought together over the last couple of decades.

Arca Systems of Sweden were acquired by Schoeller in 2005. Interestingly there is now a Romanian company with the same name. Perstorp Plastic Systems was another Swedish company acquired, leaving Perstorp to focus on its chemicals business. Wavin Systems was a Dutch business that Schoeller bought prior to that.

The big merger was in 2013 with French plastics manufacturer Allibert. Allibert merged with British manufacturer, Linpac Materials Handling in 2007, becoming Linpac Alibert. Linpac had already acquired Paxton of the UK. American manufacturer Buckhorn (containers and pallets) merged with Allibert prior to the Linpac deal. Today Buckhorn Inc. is a division of Myers Industries in Ohio.

Schoeller is a family-owned company that developed out of traditional roots from Gebrüder Schoeller in Düren, founded in 1799 and Alexander Schoeller & Co, Jülich, founded in 1880 and is now held by Martin and Christoph Schoeller and their families in the 7th generation.

The merged company will be headquartered in Dublin and led by current IPL CEO Alan Walsh (above). The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. Walsh said: “The future of packaging lies in sustainability, innovation and adaptability. This merger will allow IPL and Schoeller Allibert to combine our strengths on both sides of the Atlantic to meet that future together. With an unwavering commitment to innovation, we will not only enhance the way we serve our customers but also optimise the skillsets of both companies to build a strong, resilient foundation for growth.”

Schoeller Allibert CEO Alejandro Cabal Uribe (right) added: “Our combined strength in packaging solutions is well positioned to benefit

from the tailwinds for the sector, driven by corporate sustainability ambitions and evolving regulations to improve value chains and reduce the environmental impact of packaging waste. We look forward to together delivering leading customer service and innovative global solutions.”

Advisors & Investors

IPL is owned by investment funds managed by Madison Dearborn Partners, a private equity investment firm based in Chicago, and CDPQ, a global investment group. Schoeller Allibert is owned by Brookfield Asset Management’s private equity business and the Schoeller family. The new company will be 55% owned by the existing IPL shareholders and 45% owned by the existing Schoeller Allibert shareholders.

As a European market leader with a legacy spanning 65 years, Schoeller Allibert has led the charge in revolutionizing supply chains with returnable transport packaging solutions that are both efficient by design and circular by nature. Headquartered in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, Schoeller Allibert has a worldwide presence in over 50 countries, with approximately 1,600 employees, 11 production locations producing more than 30m products annually. Its global turnover in 2024 was €550m.

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IMHX 2025 is expected to welcome approximately 10,000 attendees and over 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest innovations in warehouse technology, automation, robotics and supply chain solutions. Industry leaders including Crown, Toyota Material Handling, Körber, Combilift, AutoStore, Exotec and Swisslog are among the major names already confirmed on the floorplan.

“We’re pleased to announce that registration is now open for IMHX 2025,” said Chris Morley, Group Director – Maritime & Logistics at Informa. “The sector has evolved significantly since IMHX 2022, driven by widespread automation, AI adoption and an increased focus on sustainability. IMHX 2025 will provide the perfect platform to explore these developments firsthand.”

New for 2025 is the Future Zone, presented in partnership with SEC Storage. This interactive area will feature cutting-edge technologies and solutions demonstrating the future of warehousing with a focus on renewables and solar, warehouse optimisation and eco tech. The event will also offer a comprehensive free seminar programme covering three key themes: smart technologies, environmental responsibility and operational excellence.

Returns to Birmingham NEC

IMHX is co-owned by the UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA), while supported by key industry associations including the Automated Material Handling Systems Association (AMHSA) and the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA).

Rob Fisher, Chief Executive Officer at the UKMHA commented: “The material handling industry is a vital pillar of the UK economy, and IMHX is uniquely positioned to support and showcase its continued evolution. Bringing together a broad spectrum of solutions, innovations, and operational advancements, IMHX is the must-attend exhibition for business leaders across logistics, transport and distribution. As co-owners of the event, UKMHA is eagerly anticipating what promises to be a dynamic and engaging edition this September. We’ll soon be unveiling our own unique visitor experience, and this year’s prestigious Archies Awards will take place during the show.”

Professionals from warehousing, distribution, supply chain, e-commerce, retail and manufacturing sectors can register for free entry at www.imhx.net

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