APN strengthens voice with appointment of Paul Sanders to RHA board

Paul Sanders, the founder and chairman of the Association of Pallet Networks (APN), has been appointed to the board of the RHA.

Announcing his appointment to the board, Sanders said the two organisations have a natural synergy which will benefit both entities. He added that his appointment will also help raise the pallet network sector's profile, increase APN's influence on industry strategy and forge a more cohesive voice for the road transport industry.

Sanders said: “This is an excellent opportunity to ensure that the objectives and challenges facing our member hub operations are naturally married to the broader concerns of the haulage community in which pallet network members reside.

“The APN’s goals are to provide an influential and representative voice for the sector, to share health and safety best practice and to develop our sustainability programme, which will address the recruitment and decarbonisation challenges facing us.

“Establishing an executive position within the RHA extends our platform and offers synergy for both organisations."

Sanders, who formed the APN in 1986, has a long standing personal association with the RHA. He has been a regular and active member of central and regional meetings for 36 years, and has held the positions of chair, secretary and treasurer in his sub-regional group, as well as serving as vice-chair for the Midlands and Western Regional council.

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Sanders comes from a five-generation family transport group, which until 2003 included a haulage operation. He is now managing director of Allports Group, a Renault Truck and Isuzu Distributor Group in Staffordshire. The group also operates  a contract hire and rental truck and trailer business, which has a national and established customer base.

Sanders commented: "Our family businesses have always been involved with and supporters of the RHA. I’ve been impressed with its fresh approach in recent years and think this is an excellent time for a constructive collaboration between APN and RHA.”

Sanders said APN's members were recently presented with RHA’s five-year strategy. He added: "It was clear to us all that we shared a common view of the future direction of the industry, its challenges and objectives.

"Together we can provide an even more cohesive and compelling voice to represent road transport. It is essential that we develop our collaboration with government agencies in order to navigate the sector through the next decade.”