Menzies Distribution's Managing Director David McIntosh has revealed the company's new logistics division is in talks with a number of high street retailers about distributing items other than printed material.
Menzies Logistics Solutions has been developed to maximise the use of the Menzies Distribution fleet during daytime hours, after core newspaper and magazine deliveries have been made.
The new division, led by General Manager Stuart McLean, is already delivering 175,000 travel brochures to more than 1,000 travel agents in the North West and South East of England; and collecting hundreds of thousands of free newspapers and magazines from printers each week before delivering them to hand-to-hand merchandisers based at popular commuter sites across London.
Now, as part of McIntosh's diversification strategy, he has revealed the 1,600-strong fleet could soon be collecting and delivering pallets or individual items from town centres across the UK.
McIntosh said: "Some people might be surprised to hear Menzies Distribution being connected to general fulfilment, but it makes perfect sense.
"Our distribution experience and geographic coverage is second to none and we are already visiting the high streets everyday with newspapers, magazines and travel brochures. We have a mixed fleet from light commercials to artics and it makes sound business sense for us to extend our logistics offer to a wider customer base."
He added: "Menzies Logistics Solutions offers a cost-effective alternative to in-house logistics. We believe if businesses take a more collaborative approach to distribution they can significantly reduce transportation costs."
The team at Menzies Logistics Solutions uses telematics and a sophisticated transport management system to monitor and maximise vehicle use, and provide driver manifests and proof of delivery documents which customers can see online.
In addition to day-time deliveries, the team handles all of Menzies Distribution's primary trunking work, collecting more than a million copies of newspapers and magazines from printers and delivering them to 12 locations daily.