Lucy talks Preston and plastic containers

I’ve made visits to Preston on a number of occasions since the acquisition 

of Alison Handling last year, a delightful trip on the M6 I’m sure many of you will agree! I’m always impressed by the enthusiasm in the office and variety of products available for purchase, the knowledge of the team is priceless but I suppose that’s what you get for being in the industry for 30 years.

People often ask what’s changed since the merger last year, what are Alison Handling now doing differently. What AHS do they do very well and it’s quite niche. They understand their focus, how many warehouses can you go to and select from a huge array of products, the exact piece of equipment to use, with no minimum order and next day delivery? Even if you’re not sure what you should be buying their experience helps selected the best product

for your application.

 You are instantly greeted by rows and rows of trays, crates, pallets, Dolavs, totes, you name it they stock it, and not just in a standard colour that you have to stick with. A lot of equipment is available in multiple colour choices. You may have noticed one addition to the range of equipment and that’s roll cages and metal.  The handling equipment compliments the packaging range already available and has been a popular sale and rental item at PPS for several years.

To speak to the Alison team call 01772 687 940. 

Colour Obstacle Rush

PPS Marchington is located minutes away from the town of Uttoxeter which provides ideal transport links to major motorway connections for us to despatch returnable packaging thoughout the UK. Saturday 4^th July saw the idyllic area host an event that is taking the world by storm. The Colour Obstacle Rush was originally founded in Finland in 2014 and has toured Finland, Germany, UK and USA in 2015, pit stopping at Uttoxeter Race Course. Combining a powdered colour run and obstacles sounded like a great afternoon out for the sales team at PPS. 

With our clean white colour rush t-shirts and sunglasses on, all that stood in front of us was a distance of 5k, 10 inflatable obstacles and 9 colour stations. With the sun shining we were soon through the foam pit, over the hurdles and climbing the finishing tower before sliding into one final pool of paint powder.

It was a great to support the local areas activities, and having showered and cleaned out all the paint from our hair we are back in the office for a new week of washing, repairing, renting and selling.

If you are looking to build a greener supply chain, contact the PPS office on 01283 821 502.

Crates on TV

Did you spot them? PPS equipment has been appearing on BBC programs over the last few weeks, popping up on Mary Berry’s Absolute Favourites and Countryfile.

Typically used in food supply chains within The CompletePackage, the PPS bale arm crate featured in Mary Berry’s latest series of Absolute Favourites and was spotted growing herbs in her garden. The crates are ideal for storing fresh produce with their ventilation feature and ease of hygienic washing.

As the nation settled down on Sunday evening, viewers of Countryfile were treated to a feature regarding the rubbish gathering on UK beaches. 8 million tonnes of rubbish is dumped into the oceans each year which is affecting the marine environment. It’s estimated that 20,000 tonnes of litter is discarded into the North Sea alone every year (comments from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.) The clip featured a PPS East reusable fish box storing fresh fish after its catch, whilst the fisherman used a Fish 4 Litter sack to collect unwanted debris. Typical rubbish being found consists of plastic bags, netting, rope and food packaging. Fishermen up and down the coast are trying to create a healthier marine environment, this is something PPS are passionate about with supplying reusable fish boxes across the industry. We supply a range of reusable, hygienic, washable fish boxes in various sizes which is also reducing waste management issues as the equipment can be used over and over again. The boxes will also help keep fish fresher for longer.

To find out more about how PPS equipment can improve the packaging in your supply chain and improve your waste prevention call 01283 821 502.

A Sunny Thursday In The Peaks

When I was asked if I would like to join our bank, RBS/NatWest, on a Corporate Day I quickly said yes as the venue was Matlock Golf Club. Then I noticed I hadn't read the small print, I realised my day out of the office would be a Cycling Sportive which comprised doing 55 miles around the Peak District and a total elevation of 5,000 feet!

 Since buying a road bike earlier in the year and having only ridden a maximum of 35 miles at a time, to say I was nervous in the morning was an understatement. My main motivation for taking part was knowing that if I could complete this challenge, it would be good preparation for my bike tour of Belgium in July. With a nice sunny day, a group of 15 of us set out for our ride around the Peak District. The route consisted of 4 major hills which were the toughest I have faced to date however the views were spectacular which made the climbs worth it. At some point during the day a fellow rider pointed out that the elevation gain was more than Everest.

What turned out to out to be a well organised event ended 7 hours later with only 8 riders making it to the finish line. Apart from the hills my biggest challenge turned out to be avoiding getting sun burnt! Jeremy Tutt, Finance Director.

Factory Tour in Pictures- External

Since moving to our site at Marchington a year ago, it's not just the interior of the warehouse that has had a revamp. The outside area has to gone under some significant changes.

                                       

Due to the increasing number of lorries passing through our gates, two security barriers have been put in place to increase security and assist operations.

All drivers must then report to the operations office before proceeding to a loading bay, making tracking equipment simple as well as accurate.

Once entering the PPS premises lorries are loaded and unloaded with returnable packaging from a total of seven loading bays. Three of which have been installed with high quality Thorworld dock level doors, platforms and ramps increasing efficiency and bringing down turnaround time.

A range of equipment passes through our doors, this includes plastic crates, collapsible pallet boxes and plastic pallets. 

  

Drivers must also report to the operations office when leaving the premises to ensure they receive correct dispatch information. 

To arrange your site tour contact us on 01283 821 502.

Back on the road

After a redesign and makeover our PPS lorries are back on the road. As part of our partnership with local haulier Jeffreys Group, we have rebranded the PPS  trailers. 

                                      

The new sharp image and logo is sure to catch the eye as it shows the supply chain cycle associated with The Complete Package. The simple design speaks for itself as it draws in your attention to exactly what PPS are about, Returnable Packaging Specialists. The back doors are crisp and simple highlighting our contact details and website. 

It was an ideal time to review this project in line with our recent warehouse move and image rebranding.

If you see our trailers out on the roads delivering greener supply chains, be sure to tweet us @PPSMidlands. 

Factory Tour In Pictures- The Office

It’s not every day that you get to design your own office, but here at PPS we embraced the opportunity. Here is a little insight to what life is like in our office.

 When you walk into reception you are greeted with a range of art work along with brochures on display to provide details of our returnable packaging services. You will also find our BRC certificate in storage and distribution on show.

The office is based on an open plan design so all departments can work hand in hand yet still have their own productive space.

 Sales and Marketing are the first port of call at the top of the office being available to meet and greet visitors.

The office then follows down to Operations who have members in both the open plan space and the transport office. 

From there they run a drivers reception where all delivery and collections are logged.

Finance have a private section of the office due to the confidential information dealt with.

From here you come to the conference room which holds internal and external meetings. The artwork on display demonstrates our warehouse facilities showing an operational wash machine and loading bay.

Throw back to life 

during the build.

PPS Welcomes New Members to the Team

In recent years the market for Returnable Transit Packaging (RTP) has grown considerably as the financial and environmental benefits become apparent. As a result PPS, an experienced provider of RTP services, has experienced continued growth. To accommodate this growth PPS has relocated their head office to much larger more modern premises in Marchington, Uttoxeter.  

Since the move in June PPS have appointed two new members of staff to work in the offices.  Karen Bradbury has joined the operation team as the Operations Assistant. She will be largely working on our full service customer accounts and using our online asset tracking system, Enable. The management of equipment is of upmost importance when using returnable equipment and the Enable system prevents losses.

Claire Bourke is the newest member of the accounts department where she will be working as the Accounts Assistant. Claire will be liaising with customers and suppliers on a regular basis.

PPS Managing Director David Peggie commented ‘We are delighted to welcome both Karen and Claire to our growing team. This is an exciting time for PPS as we grow to meet our customers increasing demand for RTP services.

At PPS we supply Returnable Transit Packaging solutions to the food, automotive, retail and removals industry. The services that we provide include the rental, management, repair and washing of plastic boxes, crates and pallets. 

We have expanded our team to continue to offer our customers with the excellent customer service that they expect from PPS.’

When Sales Met Ops

Normally your first port of call when contacting PPS with sales enquiries, Lucy recently switched roles and spent time working in our operations team over the summer to help assist with the day to day reporting while the team continues to grow since our move to Marchington.

With our warehouse operating 24/7 and thousands of equipment movements each week, it is essential that the day to day tasks are up to date on Enable, stock sheets and wash reports.

“It was an ideal opportunity to gain a greater understanding of the business and the varied aspects involved in running the warehouse operationally. Having been using Enable for over 4 weeks, you appreciate how essential this system is for our business and see ways in which other customers could benefit from using it.

Whilst it was a great experience I am now looking forward to getting back into the sales vibe, catching up with customers and seeing many more as we start to look ahead to upcoming events, exhibitions and the New Year.” 

PPS in Marchington

Last weekend saw the move of our PPS Midlands site relocate from Measham in Leicestershire to Marchington in Staffordshire. The move has more than doubled our capacity enabling us to increase our services to existing customers and welcome many more new ones on board.

Our Operations Director has spent month’s onsite with our construction team from Skubala Ltd who have converted the empty space into a fully functioning wash plant, office space and repairs unit with a brand new gas supply, wash machines, loading docks, security barriers, lighting, extractor fans and much more. They have ensured all structures and functions are in place for it to be a successful setup for PPS.

A large part of our move was warehouse based but we still had the challenge of moving an operational office. Having our own crates and handling equipment on hand was a huge benefit so we could pack as and when and select the correct size crate for the application. The plastic crates proved ideal with their durability as nothing was damaged, they stacked perfectly in storage and transport and were easy to nest and store away once emptied.

We owe a huge thank you to Britannia Premier in Burton on Trent whose team made our move as smooth as possible and even worked on a Saturday.

Here’s to the next chapter of Returnable Transit Packaging with PPS. 

Meet the Team- Joanne Moss

Name: Joanne Moss.

When did you join PPS? April 2010.

  

What is your role at PPS? Sales and Marketing Director.

What was your first ever job? I was an internet shopper at Sainsbury’s.

How do you take your tea? Very milky, no sugar.

  

What is your favourite food? I love curry and most cheeses!

  

What are your hobbies? I enjoy going to the gym, reading and going to the theatre.

How PPS became animated

PPS provide a vital service to the food industry through returnable packaging. As the largest event in the UK for processing and packaging in this sector was fast approaching we thought it only to appropriate that we started to think outside of the box in order to give everyone a full understanding of The Complete Package and the services we offer.

Visuals are key in drawing attention to a subject, and a video enables you to create an impact beyond an individual element. We wanted something that told story in a way a single image never could and demonstrate the products and services we have available.

We worked closely with Make It Media, a local video production company who specialise in corporate videos for marketing and internal communications. From the word go they understood exactly what we were wanting to create, and their expert advice and organisation soon pulled together all elements of the animation from images to voice over to sub titles. The PPS animation was born!

We now have complete flexibility to show the video at exhibitions and in house. One of the main advantages is the immediate distribution through social media to our target market via twitter, Facebook and Google+. It demonstrates to our audience the PPS service in one short piece.

Meet the Team- Andy Flynn

Name: 

Andy Flynn.

When did you join PPS? 

October 2003.

  

What is your role at PPS? 

Operations & Logistics Director.

  

What was your first ever job? 

Trainee Manager in a Fuel Oil Distribution Company.

  

How do you take your tea? 

In a mug!

  

What is your favourite food? 

Roast Lamb and Chinese.

  

What are your hobbies? 

Sqn Ldr in RAFVR(T) working with Royal Air Force Air Cadets,  Duke Of Edinburgh Award Scheme Manager for Central & East Region & Season Ticket Holder at Leicester Tigers RFU.

Meet the Team - Paul Mountney

Name:
Paul Mountney

When did you join PPS?
A very snowy day early in January 2010

What is your role at PPS?
Project Manager

What was your first ever job?
Paper round

How do you take your tea?
Often & strong

What is your favourite food?
Cake

What are your hobbies?
Getting out & about, racquetball and being a “roady” for my wife who plays Alto & Tenor Sax plus Clarinet for two orchestras and a swing band.

For the love of cake

Here at PPS there is a definite love for cake, and even more so for our Sales Administrator Lucy Allsebrook.

At PPS Lucy is based within the sales team providing customers with a variety of returnable transit packaging options and assisting you with any queries regarding sales, crate rentals, washing and repairs, on hand to advise you the best equipment solutions.

Having made all the delicious cakes for our Macmillan coffee morning helping to raise over £150, Lucy also spends evenings and weekends preparing bespoke cupcakes, celebration cakes and wedding cakes.

As a registered home baker all cakes are designed to order for events such as birthdays, christenings and Christmas.

The PPS pool trays are an ideal alternative to cardboard for transporting the cakes.