Palletland Company History

About Palletland

Born in 1967 to Robert Slater and Jean Slater, Ian Slater (CEO) was born and raised in a small community known as Sutton Manor, best known for its colliery and hardworking folk. In the early 80’s Upon leaving school Ian started working for a small fencing company at the age of 16, here he worked for 2 years before seeking  a better paid job with a local job agency. Not having heard of a pallet before Ian took the opportunity to make better money for himself, his wife and soon to be son Daniel, who would be closely followed by twins Ian (Jr) and Thomas. Ian started working for a small pallet company based in Newton-Le-Willows, here he started aged 18 cleaning round the site and sorting through pallets. After 12 years of working for the pallet supplier, Ian was informed that the premises was to undergo development and the site was to be rebuilt into offices. The pallet company haven been given this notice told its staff they was to be laid off. However having seen the potential and drive behind Ian, his then boss gave Ian an opportunity to buy the business that consisted of no Customers, one pickup truck, no warehouse, no office and a few hammers and nails. Ian used his redundancy money to buy the equipment and sold his car to buy a forklift truck.

Having been brought up in a working class community Ian saw the opportunity to run his own business and took the bull by the horns. Ian took over the company investing every penny he had into buying equipment and tools to make the business work. Working around the clock during the week selling all his pallets to dealers Ian was able to start making small profits leaving weekends hunting for new premises to continue with his new venture.

A few months of hunting and rejected offers, Ian found a half acre site situated in St Helens town center, with plenty of space, large warehouse and quaint office, close access to motorways (m62 and m6)and easy access from the road, The Palletland dream was born.

In the later end of 1996 Ian set his sights on the land based on Burtohead Road (where his site still remains today). Spending every day for the next few months moving what little equipment he had, moving stock and getting the new site powered and up to safety regulations. The Palletland dream Ian had envisioned was starting to take shape.

It was in 2010 that Thomas Slater, Ian’s son, joined the company after finishing studies at university. Thomas had spent most of his summer holidays, weekend and bank holidays throughout school helping around on site, cleaning and manufacturing pallets.

Thomas started his employment with Palletland as a laborer and learnt the ropes from the ground up, today Ian and Thomas run the company side by side, investing constantly ever adapting the business to keep up and ahead of competitors.

In 2014 with the arrival of Son Daniel Slater to the company, Ian and Thomas decided to take the leap and buy a plot of derelict land which consisted of one large burnt out warehouse adjacent to the existing site. Renovations took 12 months, bringing the fire torn building back to life.

Since 2015 Palletland have been running from their original Site on Burtonhead Road, having opened up both sites, developing them as one, Palletland now run from and impressive 3+ acre site, showing larger competitors that there is a new fish in the national distribution of pallets.

To this day Ian’s Moto of ‘never letting a customer down’, still applies and with their ever expanding customer basis and passion between one father and his sons, the business is predicted to take off again with its new investments such as a further increase in fleet and modern pallet manufacturing equipment soon to be installed.

For 100% guaranteed customer service, with a team that is driven by a family thirsty for success, contact the Palletland team and see what service and savings you’re missing.