Two-man delivery specialist Panther has been awarded a string of new contracts worth £20 million in the past 12 months seeking to take advantage of Panther’s unique service offering.
The surge of new business has largely been triggered by the steep rise in internet sales of large ticket items with major growth from the bathroom and furniture sectors, coupled with the company’s reputation in the marketplace for providing a service offering which is unmatched in the industry.
It is believed Panther is the only company within the two-man sector that is able to provide a next-day, two-man, B2B and B2C delivery service to any address in England, Wales and Lower Scotland from one hub.
The surge in new business comes just two years after the company changed its model from being a general transport provider to specialising in two-man delivery services which now account for 80% of the business.
The company’s ideal location, at the heart of Britain’s motorway network, means Panther is strategically placed to deliver heavy goods, such as sofas, kitchen or bathroom furniture, from as early as 7am, even when orders have come in as late as 6.30pm the previous evening.
As part of the service Panther collects the goods from its clients, before routing, sorting, loading and delivering to the consumer. As long as Panther has the goods by 2am, the customer can expect to take delivery that same day.
It is an offering which has set Panther apart from the competition and Directors Colin McCarthy and Wilson Barrett believe that there continues to be huge untapped potential for growth as word of their USP continues to spread.
Colin said: “The internet has brought about a real change in lifestyles in recent years. Gone are the days where you would order larger items and wait several weeks for their delivery.
“Nowadays, consumers who have paid for items want them yesterday.
“This is especially true in the case of customers ordering outdoor furniture and patio furniture or, for example, barbecue equipment.”
He added: “Panther has seen so much growth in demand for this service but we believe we are still only at the tip of the iceberg. Perhaps unbelievably there are still hundreds of companies out there offering a delivery service that takes several weeks.
“Once these other companies – and of course their customers – realise goods can be delivered within 24 hours I am sure businesses will be keen to make the switch. If they don’t they will soon find themselves losing out to their competitors. Their delivery suppliers will certainly lose out unless they change their service offering.”
Founded in 1989 with just two vehicles, Panther now operates out of two sites totalling 110,000 sq ft and employs more than 200 people, including 100 two-man delivery teams. Three years ago company turnover stood at £5 million. This year it is forecast at £19.5 million – reflecting a rise of 250 per cent, all at a time when the company has focused on switching its business model from a pallet delivery service offering to mainly two-man deliveries.
Despite the high volumes and speed of turnaround in the service, Panther also has one of the lowest levels of claims in the industry – at less than 0.05 per cent compared to the industry average of one to 1.2 per cent
The boost in demand for 2-man delivery is the latest phase of Panther’s success.
Not a company to rest on its laurels Panther is looking forward to further enhance its service offering to reinforce its market leading position, providing a strong platform for continued growth in 2013.