Name:                                  Kelvin Jones

Title:                                      Business Development Director

Name of company:          Transland Group

What does yourcompany do? Who is its target audience?

Transland Group provides acomprehensive range of transport and logistics services across the world. Wehave developed an unbeatable distribution service for palletised freightcovering Ireland, the UK and Europe. We also offer international forwardingsolutions via an extensive range of agents worldwide.

Our broad range of services enableus to appeal to a wide range of customers, from large multinationals to smallstart-up businesses. Transland Group is committed to creating innovative,technology-driven supply-chain solutions. Our pioneering low-cost onlinebooking facility enables customers to avail of special discounted rates forearly booking, saving them time and money. Customers can also track theirconsignments online from collection through to delivery, and receive PODinformation automatically upon delivery.

Transland has offices in Ireland(Dublin) and the UK (Lichfield) and a network of long term partnershipsworldwide

How long have youbeen trading and what is the history of the company?

Since the company was established in1993, we have grown significantly. Initially, we handled only magazinedistribution between the UK and Ireland but now we work with a range ofcustomers across many sectors, from engineering and household goods to medicalequipment and ambient foods. We celebrated our 25^th anniversary lastyear, with some of our staff who have been with us from the start, and we’re lookingforward to the next 25 years in business!

What three words bestdescribe your business and its products?

Palletised freight distribution      or          Service, Technology, Peopleor Land Sea Air

Do you have awebsite? If so, do you sell directly from it? If not, why not?

Yes we launched an online bookingservice for our palletised freight deliveries over 10 years ago, and it’s stillthe only service of its kind within the market. This facility is especiallybeneficial for small to medium sized companies, who can manage all theirtransport requirements through one system. Website: www.translandgroup.com. Online booking facility: bookings.translandgroup.com.

Do you use socialmedia to promote your business? How has this landscape changed over theyears within the gift industry?

Yes we are active on Twitter,LinkedIn Facebook and Instagram. We predominantly find that Linked in is bestfor businesses. We post more industry based news to increase our profile ratherthan to use it as a platform for selling or promotion of our own services.

Do you do anyadvertising/PR?

We use PR to announce companyevents, but have scaled back on above-the-line advertising in recent years associal media has grown in stature.

What do you wish you’d known at the very beginning of starting in your current industry that you know now and how do you work alongside the Giftware industry.

I am pleased to be accepted as a supplier forwarder/transport company  and hope to be I can be of use to the members whether from an industry wide initiative, a benchmark against existing costs or to assist members as they embark on new markets both from a supply basis or new areas to develop customers   

Do you feel theeconomic climate is improving or is it getting tougher to trade?

Brexit will be the biggest economicchallenge to us, as it will be to most companies. However we have taken allnecessary steps to protect our business and explore other opportunities that will present themselves to us

What do you see as being the biggest problem for giftproducers? Understanding the changes needed in the eventof Brexit, whilst a number of your members will undoubdtedly be prepared , I amsure that like many of our customers, they will have not yet taken thenecessary steps to ensure readiness.           

If we could help you with one aspect of your business, what would that be? To introduce Transland  to your members and give us the opportunity to provide a review of their transport needs whether domestic or international , pallets cartons  full trailers  or full containers.     

What news do you have to share with us so we can celebrate yourachievements in 2019?

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Irish depotin June 2019. This will provide us with a lotmore space to take on new and exciting projects, for example, providing a fulllogistics offering rather than just distribution.

What are you looking to achieve in 2019?

We are looking to maximise thepotential of our new Irish depot, and the logistical benefits this willprovide. Further developing European and international markets would be anatural progression for Transland in terms of business development, as well asproviding a certain level of protection against the uncertainty of Brexit. Weare also looking to develop the lucrative the Home Deliveries market with ouronline booking facility.