Palletways UK shares the inspirational story of one member owner, Oxfordshire-based Darcica’s Anthony Tattersall, a former Class 2 Palletways driver. From the driver's seat to the helm of his own logistics company, Anthony's journey shows resilience, innovation, and a commitment to the future of the industry, which inspires Palletways, other members and drivers alike. Darcica committed to a 10-year contract with Palletways UK in late 2023.

Anthony's journey with Palletways

Hired by his local Palletways depot in 2005 as a Class 2 driver, after passing his HGV test just six months before, Anthony always had a passion for logistics that went beyond the wheel. Moving onto the world of waste management, initially with Verdant (Biffa) then Grundon, where in 2012 he progressed to Regional Manager, Anthony had developed a keen interest in the broader logistics sector.

Pivoting in the face of pandemic challenges

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, and many hauliers faced unprecedented challenges, Anthony saw an opportunity. Witnessing the dynamics of the logistics industry shift, he identified a niche and established his own logistics company, Darcica, in 2020. Darcica’s name combines Anthony’s daughter’s names; Darcey and Jessica, and is built around family values, customer service and care for the environment. Starting as an Amazon Delivery Service Partner, Darcica quickly expanded its services, initially focusing on essential parcel deliveries during the pandemic.

Diversification into palletised freight

Driven by his passion for larger haulage and a desire to make the logistics industry more sustainable, Anthony envisioned Darcica as a complete logistics solution. While parcel deliveries were the starting point, he harboured dreams of venturing into palletised freight. The pivotal moment came when he raised enough capital to invest in this aspiration, and the perfect opportunity with Palletways to become part of its UK member network presented itself.

Partnership with Palletways: a perfect fit

Anthony’s perspective on Palletways evolved significantly from his early days as a driver in 2005. There have been many improvements in health and safety, service levels, and the overall importance of customer service within the industry. Impressed by Palletways’ leadership in these areas, as well as its commitment to sustainability, in 2022 Anthony realised that joining forces was the natural next step for Darcica and he hasn’t looked back.

A key belief when founding Darcica was to build a business for the future and not live in the past. That’s why they’ve invested so heavily in electric vehicles, with four different models including the UK’s first pallet delivery vehicle.  The business has a clear commitment to reducing emissions, waste, water and energy and the new vehicle is the pride of its fleet, having already replaced its diesel vans with electric and electric forklift trucks in its depot.

Today Darcica offers parcel and pallet deliveries and collections, fulfilment and storage – and is a one-stop sustainable logistics solution. It employs 27 full time staff at Bicester and 80+ self-employed at its Reading and Swindon sites (under the Amazon Delivery Service Partner programme).

Anthony’s wife Melanie Tattersall joined as Director of Sustainability and Communications, and jointly they’ve been instrumental in moving the business forward, winning regional awards like, Business Person of The Year, Business of the Year Award and New Business Award, too.

10-year commitment: a symbolic partnership

Anthony comments: “Committing to a 10-year contract with Palletways, the very company where I started my journey as a driver, was a moment of excitement and affirmation. It signalled not only the right direction for Darcica, but also aligned with Palletways' vision for a better future in logistics. I’m proud we’ve become a valued network member of Palletways UK.

“When long-standing industry owners come up to retirement with no succession strategy or desire to invest in the future, we might see a mass exodus of haulage companies over the next 10 years. We’ll see a huge gap in availability/transport for businesses to use, which could have a negative impact on producers, consumers, and the general economy.

“At Darcica we’ll keep pushing forward, driving towards a better future and a greener one for the transport and logistics industry, something which we know is vital for the protection of future generations.”

The company has made a significant contribution to the strength of Palletways’ network since joining – delivering over two million parcels and 30,000 pallets in the last year alone.

Warwick Trimble, Palletways UK network director, adds: “Anthony's story serves as an inspiring testament to the power of determination, adaptability, and a shared commitment to the future of the logistics industry. We look forward to the continued success and growth of our partnership with Darcica, contributing to the evolution of a more sustainable and customer-focused logistics landscape.”