A Northern Ireland logistics specialist is on a major recruitment drive after accelerating its growth by joining one of the UK’s leading pallet networks.

TST Group, which is a family-run business based in Ballymena, recently took on the Northern Irish operation for Pallet-Track.

The firm is now recruiting 15 new staff members to support its ongoing growth, including 10 additional HGV drivers, two forklift drivers and three administrative staff.

Pallet network membership

TST Group has been a Shareholder Member of Pallet-Track since 2017 via its Birmingham operation and is a specialist in the distribution and storage of food and FMCG products, with a particular focus on the beverage sector.

The addition of Northern Ireland postcodes to its portfolio is expected to increase its pallet handling from 500 to 800 per day.

As part of its growth strategy, TST Group is also committed to adding 40 new trailers and 20 new trucks to its fleet per year.

It has already invested heavily in its Northern Ireland operation in 2024, with more than £5.5 million invested in new trucks and trailers to expand its extensive fleet.

Liam Reid, CEO at TST Group, said: “Our pallet distribution service is experiencing significant growth as we are now seeing customers moving single pallets from Northern Ireland to the UK nightly rather than waiting to collate full loads, so on the back of this it is expanding our Pallet-Track membership and we are recruiting across various areas of the business to support this growth.

“While our fleet is extensive and equipped with the latest technology and innovations, we continue to expand the range of vehicles we operate in both Ballymena and Birmingham.

“This modernisation ensures that we can handle a wide range of logistics challenges efficiently and reliably for our growing client base.”

Driving Pallet-Track forward

Stuart Godman, CEO at Pallet-Track, said: “TST Group is an excellent partner to continue to drive Pallet-Track’s service forward in Northern Ireland and we are incredibly pleased to be working together even closer.

“The company’s impressive track record, and its commitment to service excellence, underpins the Pallet-Track way which will continue to support both our ongoing growth, and success, in Northern Ireland.”

From modest beginnings, TST Group has grown to encompass TST Transport, TST Logistics, TST Express and now TST Customs, employing nearly 400 staff, operating more than 200 lorries, managing close to 500 trailers and offering more than 1.5 million square feet of warehousing.