Panther Logistics is celebrating 10 years of its dedicated next day two-person delivery service.
In 2011 the Northamptonshire-based business - which was acquired by US-based white glove delivery giant AIT Worldwide Logistics in November last year - changed its core business from general haulage to premium, next day, white-glove two-person delivery.
The company claims to be the first to identify a gap in the marketplace for the service.
Gary McKelvey, who became Panther MD following the acquisition by AIT, paid tribute to former MD Colin McCarthy.
McKelvey said: “The importance of next-day to our industry is hard to fathom and we are extremely grateful to the vision and foresight of its architect, former MD Colin McCarthy.
“Even after his achievement, Colin went on to develop a series of innovations that held the end-user in mind to give Panther’s customers a competitive edge, such as providing delivery to choice of room and removal of all packaging.
“He recognised that customers were increasingly expecting the same level of service for two-man delivery as they enjoyed in the parcels arena. It’s a remarkable achievement.”
McCarthy, who is gradually stepping down as former Panther commercial director McKelvey takes the reins, added: “The last 10 years have been transformative for Panther and I’m incredibly proud of our dedicated and innovative staff.
“They deliver a best-in-class service and embrace our core philosophy that the final mile delivery experience is crucial and an extension of the retailer’s customer service journey.
“Our strength is our ability to respond to ever-changing customer demands, which has led to Panther developing an enviable service portfolio underpinned by state-of-the-art technology.”
Panther’s acquisition by AIT followed an exit by private equity firm LDC which had invested in Panther as part of the management buyout four years ago.
Panther’s current management team have remained in post to support its continued development. Panther’s customer base includes Wayfair, Silentnight, Dunelm, Samsung, Decathlon, and LG.
The company, which has featured in The Sunday Times Fast Track twice and was also listed in the FT’s 1,000 Europe’s Fastest-Growing Companies, has seen turnover leap from £1m to £70m since 2011 and its depots increase from a single site in Crick to nine facilities nationwide.
McKelvey said: “We continually strive for excellence through the development of new services and technology further reinforcing our position at the forefront of the market.
“The acquisition by AIT gives us the perfect foundation for future growth and I’m excited to see how the next 10 years will unfold.”
