Pharma opportunities drive growth for delivery firm

Manchester parcels firm CAE Delivers has announced the creation of a new division to handle a growing volume of highly-sensitive work for some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and medical research companies.

The Trafford Park-based company, with an expanding operation in shipments to Ireland, has described the move as a natural response to an increase in demand for dedicated clinical deliveries in recent years.

Ian Wilson has been promoted to the role of group pharmaceutical division manager to spearhead the new unit, which will be able to call on specialist staff, vehicles and facilities.

The new operation is based in Dublin and has taken on 15 staff. This follows a the recruitment of 80 extra drivers last December, taking the total number of driving staff to 150.

Mr Wilson said that the expansion marked the latest chapter in an evolution for CAE Delivers, which has seen a considerable rise in parcel traffic and client numbers in the two years since a change of ownership.

“As a result of the strategy which has been put in place and significant consequent investment, we have arguably become one of the most reliable carrier partners for medical services firms in Ireland, the UK and much further afield,” he said.

“We are now able to handle their very specific needs for secure movement of time-sensitive pharmaceuticals, blood, organ and tissue samples right across the globe.

“It’s not simply a matter of being quick and accurate but having both the equipment and the know-how to import and export such materials to assist both clinical trials and other urgent medical procedures.

“That’s something which has been greatly enhanced by the creation of our new division as it underlines the individual methods required to move consignments that are very much different to the the more usual parcel traffic for which CAE Delivers is renowned.”

The initiative marks the latest major progression for CAE Delivers since chief executive Jamie Knapper, and his group operations director brother Jason, bought out director Adrian O’Connell, who had founded the business in 1975.

By focusing on developing its Irish operations the firm has become the trusted delivery partner for major brands in retail, financial services, engineering and entertainment.

A succession of senior appointments within the past 12 months has also been supported by a doubling of the number of drivers which it employs across the Republic of Ireland.

The approach has paid dividends with parcel traffic in the critical pre-Christmas peak period up by more than 100%.