Two-man delivery firm Panther Warehousing has opened a new Bristol hub to expand its presence across the South West as part of a £3m five-year investment programme.
Taking Panther’s depot network to seven, the new 25,000ft² facility is located close to the M4 on the Pucklechurch Trading Estate, Pucklechurch, north east of Bristol.
The ‘white-glove’ specialist said the new site will reduce handling and stem mileage for goods destined for the South West. It will process more than 1,000 items a night, with goods delivered across Bristol, Avon and south Wales in a dedicated fleet of 20 vehicles.
More than 25 jobs have been created at the Bristol hub, with an additional 40 in the pipeline over the next three months.
Panther said the new site forms part of its growth strategy, which has seen its turnover double in the past two years from just under £13m in 2013 to a projected £26.5m this year.
The company’s two-man delivery service ensures that a product is taken to a room of the customer’s choice, with the packaging removed. In some circumstances, the team will also install a product.
Colin McCarthy, MD, said: “With the boom in internet shopping, and with more and more people having confidence to order large items online, particularly within the home furnishings sector, we expect that demand for our specialised services will grow and grow.
“By selecting a premium ‘white glove’ service like ours, customers can be reassured that their goods will be delivered clean and undamaged to their own customers, keeping everyone happy.”
The opening of the Bristol depot comes two years after the company expanded into the South West with the establishment of a depot in Taunton, Somerset.
Panther last month spoke to MT of its plans to introduce a Sunday delivery option, as well as a high-end service that its directors discovered at a home delivery show in the US.
