International express distribution expert Palletforce, a division of EV Cargo, says its Pallet Selfie technology has been a ‘game-changer’ in increasing visibility of freight passing through the SuperHub and is helping its members attract new customers and generate cost reductions.

First launched in 2019, Pallet Selfies are instant images taken by the company’s fleet of forklift trucks carrying out nightly freight sortation at the SuperHub. Using patented technology exclusive to Palletforce, they instantly weigh, scan and image capture every single pallet of freight passing through the network.

The result is unrivalled visibility of goods for members and customers and, as the only pallet network capable of offering this technology, Palletforce members are using it as a business development and sales tool to secure new customers.

Members have also been able to recommend changes to packaging to their customer and suggest ways to improve load security and pallet fill. They can also tell the exact location on which trunk vehicle a specific pallet has been loaded, helping to speed up the delivery process once trunks return to their depot.

Pallet Selfie technology has also helped reduce the already low rate of damaged and mis-routed freight and is now being integrated into forklift truck driver training and skills development.

Martin Halliday, director of Palletforce member Freightforce, said: “The Pallet Selfie technology is a great innovation and has undoubtedly helped us secure and retain customers. Other networks experiencing high damages may be frightened to show what goes on in their hubs, but Palletforce provides us with complete transparency. We tell our customers we are proud of how we handle their goods and now we can show them too, they love the features and think Pallet Selfies are a great idea.”

Dean Hughes, IT director at Palletforce said: “We’ve continually invested in innovation and made a commitment to our members that Palletforce would lead the sector when it comes to pioneering technology that delivers tangible benefits for them and their customers.

“Palletforce is the only network able to weigh, scan and photo every pallet of freight. Our service is underpinned by quality and Pallet Selfies provide freight visibility that’s exclusive to Palletforce, backed up by live tracking and real-time delivery notifications to give customers an unrivalled service proposition.”