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Press Releases 09 Press Releases 08 Press Releases 07

5th July 2007 - Circle Express Operates WN Post Code For Pallet Track

CIRCLE EXPRESS, the preferred road transport provider to the airfreight industry, is now operating the WN postcode on behalf of Pallet-Track, the nationwide, next-day delivery network, of which Circle is a shareholder member. The area covered takes in Wigan, Skelmersdale and Leigh. Circle already covers the SL and TW post codes close to its Heathrow head office, while it has been minding the L post code on behalf of Pallet-Track.

This means that, in addition to its core trunking services, Circle can now offer customers in these areas a guaranteed next-day delivery of palletised consignments not covered by the airfreight regulations to anywhere in the UK. Circle's northern regional director, Mike Banks, says that the new service will not only serve the company's airfreight customers in these areas, many of whom provide logistics services to their own UK customers, but will also open up new low-cost distribution options for non-airfreight businesses, which were not available to them before. Consignments can be collected up to 5.30 p.m. for early next-day delivery. Saturday deliveries are also available.

Also operating in conjunction with this service is Circle's newly-branded Same-Day Courier facility, which provides point-to-point countrywide same-day deliveries of the more urgent consignments. This service is available through contacting a central phone number 0844-800-2766.

Adds Mike Banks: "We are constantly introducing more value-added services to meet the ever-changing requirements of our customers. One of these is our new integrated IT system, which offers customers online booking, track and trace and POD confirmation. Again, for those customers moving RADAC or other Dangerous Goods, we provide specialist transport and qualified staff."

This array of diverse facilities means that Circle customers can avail themselves of any combination of services to suit their particular needs without having to look elsewhere. In many instances, Circle is now a strategic partner to its customers - acting, in effect, as an adjunct to their business - in providing a customised service that is not only very efficient, but highly cost-effective to them. In doing this, Circle has become a vital cog in the efficient running of its customers' supply chain operations, and this has attracted many new quality customers to the Company.

For more details, contact Mike Banks on 0161-902-2020 or mike.banks@circleexpress.co.uk  < top

May 2007 - Circle Express Extends Its Operations Beyond The Airfreight Sector

Although Circle Express's customer base comprises predominantly airfreight forwarders, located around Heathrow and other main UK airports, the company is now also attracting more business from outside this sector, reports managing director Chris Coffey.

Apart from Circle's core operation which provides daily delivery and collection services nationwide, the company also offers several added-value services. One of these is through its link-up with Pallet-Track, which enables it to guarantee next-day delivery of palletised consignments to anywhere in the country. This is particularly valuable to customers, for whom prompt delivery of time-sensitive goods is essential to their businesses. In addition, the company provides a recently re-branded service called Circle Express Same-Day Couriers, which is a point-to-point pick-up and collection facility that operates out of all Circle's eight depots around the country. A further increasingly-used service is Circle's movement of hazardous cargo, such as radioactive and firearms materials, whose handling and movement are covered by strict regulations.

Circle now enjoys growing business in all these areas, with turnover currently running at over £25 million, and Chris Coffey says the amount of repeat business the company receives is a clear indication that it is providing a very satisfactory level of service.

One such satisfield customer outside of the airfreight sector is Datek Solutions of Langley, Berks., which is a major supplier of computer hardware and services to customers in the London and home counties. Says managing director, David Welling: "Circle has been providing an efficient pallet service to us for sometime now. They understand the importance of not only what they are carrying, but also the sensitive nature of delivery times. I have complete confidence that the deliveries are both collected and made on time without damage, and you cannot put a price on that".

A similar endorsement comes from another non-airfreight customer, CFS-Fixings of Marlow, Bucks. They provide specialist materials to the construction industry. These products are generally for the pre-cast concrete sector, and time-scales are very important, as customers often need materials to be delivered next day. Says managing director, Tim Chart: "We have always been very satisfied with the service from Circle. Their drivers are extremely helpful, and will often wait around while last minute orders are packed."

Apart from its Heathrow head office, Circle has offices in Birmingham, East Midlands airport, Manchester, Leeds/Bradford, Glasgow, Bristol and Exeter.

For details of all Circle Express services, contact 01753 214600 or log on to www.circleexpress.co.uk  < top

April 2007 - Circle Rebrands Couriers - Airfreight specialist wants to broaden market appeal with courier service

Circle Express is bringing its same day courier service back into the company brand in a bid to raise awareness of the service.

Circle says the courier network will provide more opportunity for the company to branch out from its traditional niche business of handling airfreight to go further into the commercial market. It is aiming to promote its value-added services, including the courier network and its membership of pallet network Pallet-Track.

The company is to complete the re-branding of Connection Couriers within the next three months. The network will be renamed Circle Express Same Day Couriers and will bear the same recognisable logo attached to the core airfreight business.

Courier director Andy Armsden says Connection Couriers has been part of Circle's £25m turnover business since 2001, but "it's never really had a big push, it's always been overshadowed by the Circle Express product".

Chief executive Chris Coffey adds: "We've just not marketed it as its own add-on service".

Armsden tells Motor Transport that a special part of the service will be termed "mix and matching", referring to a point to point pick-up and collection whereby courier vans can take freight to their nearest Circle depot. It will then be trunked to the depot nearest to the collection point, where another dedicated courier vehicle will take it to its end destination.

The service can also draw on Circle's specialist divisions, most notably its radioactive and firearms operation.

Circle's courier service started life at its Manchester premises but now operates out of all eight of its locations.  < top

March 2007 - Pay Pushes up the Costs

2007 has seen a welcome fall in the price of diesel, but with cost rises in other areas it means an operator will still have to find an extra £340 a year to maintain profit on a 40-tonner. John Phillips looks at how this will impact on the average haulier.

Truck operating costs in general are little changed since our last tables published in June 2006, despite a drop of more than 4p/litre (about 6%) in the national average price of diesel at the pump. Sadly, any savings resulting from this reduction have been absorbed this time around by increases in other areas, notably in the price of chassis and in drivers wages.

The charge per mile (cpm) for our sample 40-tonne artic covering 100,000 miles annually and averaging 7.8mpg now stands at 137.10p about 0.2% above June's figure of 136.79p.

Our sample 18-tonner, covering 60,000 miles annually and returning 11mpg, comes off slightly worse with a cpm of 135.76p just over 1.0% up on our June figure. These increases mean an additional £340 and £1.160 respectively would need to be gleaned from the customer over the year to maintain the bottom line.

According to figures provided by Catalist and Arval, the UK national average pump price for diesel at the time of going to press was 92.9p/litre with VAT (79.06p/litre ex-VAT) compared with the June figures of 97.8 and 83.23p/litre respectively.

The price of crude has dropped drastically from a peak of US$78 or so last August to a current figure of around US$50, although as always the market is extremely volatile and can change overnight.

In the middle of last year the bulk price for diesel was heading towards 80p/litre - the Freight Transport Association's latest figure is given as a much more palatable 72.73p/litre. Prices, of course, include the additional 1.25p duty imposed by chancellor Gordon Brown.  < top

March 2007 - Advantage Worldwide opts for Circle Express for UK delivery and Collection

Leading international freight and logistcs operator, Advantage Worldwide, based at Sunbury-on-Thames, has chosen Circle Express as its preferred road transport, collection and delivery provider. Under an agreement, Circle Express collects the company's general customs-cleared import airfreight cargo from the airlines for next-day delivery around the UK. Circle Express also collects their import-bonded cargo from the airline transit sheds, and transports it back to Advantage's own customs-bonded warehouse facility. Export Cargo collections are made countrywide, and delivered into the airlines nightly for international movements. Additionally, Circle Express undertakes same-day deliveries, as required.

Says David Stevens, MD of Advantage Worldwide: "Most of our business involves time-sensitive consignments, and when we first looked around for the best company to undertake this for us, we opted to use Circle Express for our deliveries and collections throughout the UK because of their industry-wide reputation for speed, reliability and consistency".

"Operating from both London and Manchester, Advantage Worldwide's services embrace airfreight, ocean freight, European destinations, UK distribution, warehouse management and logistics. When establishing long term business relationships, we seek to understand fully our customers' complete needs with a customised package of solutions that fit their specific requirements, as well as their budget."  < top

February 2007 - Circle Express reports an influx of new customers following its link-up with Pallet Track - Genesis Forwarding and Hemisphere Freight see the benefits.

Circle Express, the leading road transport supplier to the airfreight industry, says it is attracting more customers because of its link-up with the pallet-Track nationwide distribution network. Under its arrangements with Pallet-Track, Circle provides its customers in the Heathrow Airport vicinity with new low-cost, guaranted next-day, palletised distribution service nationwide.

Collections made by Circle Express on one day are guaranteed to be delivered the following day to most destinations in the UK. Circle trunks the collected consignments overnight to Pallet Track's midlands hub, where they are transhipped on to the vehicles of other Pallet-Track operators for delivery to their destinations. Conversly, Circle Express brings back to its Heathrow facility, consignments designated for delivery to its customers in that area.

Says Chris Coffey, MD Circle Express: "there are several reasons why we are enjoying this new business. Firstly, the service we are offering through the Pallet track system provides customers with the opportunity to distribute goods nationwide at low-cost - a facility which many of them did not have before because of the lack of either transport or economic resources. Secondly, the service has opened up for them the opportunity to pitch for new lucrative multi-sited accounts around the country, in the knowledge that they can guarantee next-day delivery. This is a win-win situation for everyone. We attract new customers, who in turn widen their own customer base".

Says Circle Express customers Ken Howell, MD of Genesis Forwarding Services: " Genesis operates in a time and cost-sensitive market, and each and every one of our customers receives exceptional service. This is why our choice of supplier is carefully vetted based on strict criteria. Circle Express goes that extra mile to ensure Genesis exceeds its customers' expectations".

A similar endorsement comes from David Norris, airfreight director of Hemisphere Freight: "The Pallet-Track system, as provided by Circle Express, enables us to offer our clients a cost-effective and reliable service with nationwide coverage on an overnight basis for most areas. This is turn helps us to expedite the consignments going for export".  < top

1st January 2007 - Circle's 25th anniversary in business celebration!

What better way to mark your 25th anniversary in business than by taking delivery of a new fleet of 22 vehicles from across the Mercedes-Benz truck and van range. The 17 BlueTec Euro 4 trucks and five vans were purchased from Rygor Commercials. They include an Actros 2546 Executive tractor unit. Finished in special metallic silver to mark Circle Express's Silver Anniversary, this vehicle is our new flagship. The Actros pulls a new a new curtainsided trailer built by Cartwright of Manchester.

Circle Express has also bought four more Actros 2546 tractors with long distance high-roofed sleeper cabs and 12 rigids, all with Cartwright curtain-sided bodies. These comprise of four Axor 18-tonners - one a drawbar chassis, the others being 1824's and eight Atego 816 7.5 tonners. The Company's latest Mercedes vans meanwhile are all new-generation Sprinter 311CDI's, also finished off in silver. Two are extra long panel vans with super-high roofs, while the other three are chassis cabs with curtainside bodies by GM Billings of Loughton, Essex.

Delivery of these new trucks will take place in the early part of 2007.

More details on Rygor Commercials can be found at www.rygor.co.uk  < top