£500,000 deal is clinched

Bosses at freight forwarding and distribution company TS International watched as Telford's manufacturing base slowed and the hi-tech firms moved in.

But the forward-thinking company has managed to stay ahead of the game by opening an office in China, a country now responsible for 17.5 per cent of the world's economic growth, and this month clinched a £500,000 contract which will see the creation of new jobs.

Sales development manager Ian Baynham said TS International had scooped the high-profile pallet distribution contract for the largest area in the UK, the SY area, from Palletways.

"The new contract is for the collection and delivery of pallets for the Palletways network in the whole of the SY postcode. That goes from Ludlow, Bromyard right over to the top towards Wrexham.

"We had a small part of the contract before, we had the LL postcode. We have relinquished that and now we have a much bigger area to cover."

The contract means the Halesfield company has invested £50,000 in capital equipment including a £24,000 new trailer. It has also added five new staff to bring its workforce up to 36.

Mr Baynham added: "This is the biggest single contract we have won to date."

The deal marks a successful period of growth for the firm which, apart from opening its Shanghai base in September last year, also opened an office to deal with air freight at Birmingham Airport two years ago.

And the reason for opening up a Shanghai base?

Mr Baynham said: "Around 70 per cent of the inquiries we were getting concerned Shanghai to the UK. So it was a necessary move to meet that demand. And opening the office has seen around a 10 per cent increase in the business and that's building.

"Opening up there was a good move and we are currently expanding that office."

The company was originally set up by managing director Ron Coulson to serve the manufacturing and trading businesses of Shropshire, Mid Wales and the West Midlands.

Now, Mr Baynham said, although the core business is still Shropshire-based, the company moves freight all over the world.

"We literally move anything and everything from textiles to engineering. And we are a member of a couple of worldwide networks where we represent the UK for agents based all over the world."

And another bonus which could see future growth is the development of the new Donnington Rail Freight Terminal.

Mr Baynham said: "At the moment, the majority of the freight for Shropshire comes on the train to either Birmingham or Coleshill. Or it's more cost effective to bring it via Liverpool, which is slower as it goes by ship.

"If there is a dedicated rail link to Donnington, then if it doesn't reduce costs, it will increase speed by a week.

"So we have been given options on storage facilities at Donnington and its a fabulous development. It's good for Telford but its even better for further into Wales - it's a better distribution link for imports."

Picture: George Jones, Ian Baynham and Alan Greenwood of TS International.