TPN helps customers build post-Brexit shipments to “new normal” levels

The Pallet Network (TPN) is seeing volumes to the Republic of Ireland (ROI) returning to near normal levels post-Brexit, as customers become accustomed to the new regulations with the help of TPN’s customs-integrated IT services.

TPN is offering an export service to Ireland and mainland Europe for UK freight customers which includes daily services, customs support, a customs integrated IT system, Northern Ireland clearances, handled at no extra cost and customs and broker support services.

Shipping into ROI has been particularly challenging for UK businesses in the first weeks after the UK exited the Brexit transition period on 1 January.

However Ian Large, TPN commercial manager said TPN’s service has helped its customers overcome problems.

He said: “Volumes are still slightly lower than in previous years as customers gain their confidence in this new post-Brexit world. But we have three trailers ready to go this morning, and we’ll send another several trailers tonight, and again tomorrow. To all intents and purposes, it’s ‘new normal’ business as usual.”

The network also played a pivotal role in helping resolve problems that arose in the first week of January with the government’s GVMS system which generates clearance codes, with MD Mark Duggan taking to social media to share the resulting workaround with the rest of the industry.

Large said: “This is a time when we all need to pull together to make sure that our economy remains resilient and that freight reaches the people who need it.

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“Our social media feeds have all the information we’ve discovered about how to use GVMS effectively.”

However, if customers are uncertain about HMRC’s TSS and GVMS systems, TPN staff will handle all the necessary customs clearance for Irish freight – at no extra cost, completing the required TSS & GVMS entries centrally, free of charge.

“We don’t believe that people should have to pay extra to move their goods over an internal border,” said Large. “If customers want help, we’ll help them. That’s what good service looks like.”

TPN also helped prepare customers and its partner members by running online workshops throughout 2020 on the protocols and how to use its newly expanded and HMRC-friendly consignment management system.

“The TPN Connect integration has allowed us to bring acuity, transparency and intelligence to what would otherwise have been unfamiliar systems for network customers,” said Large.

Services to mainland Europe are also running without issue, TPN said, with TPN XPort, sending regular freight services to 27 countries.

“Our network partners are doing a smashing job. They are very experienced at international freight movements within mainland Europe and elsewhere and so we can offer as seamless a service as possible.

“If customers need more or specific support, we have a 24-hour broker support service, so wherever the pallet is destined for, customers need only ask and we’ll find the solution they need.”