Avonmouth-based The Garland Company UK manufactures high-performance commercial roofing solutions, including environmentally sustainable roofs, cold applied protective coatings and other water-tight construction products. It sells only to approved construction companies and delivers its non-hazardous products through Bristol-based Safe Transport and TPN.

“Our motto is ‘service is our best product’ and to find a transport company who lives up to that is fantastic,” says Garland operations manager Nikki Burton. “Safe’s customer service is second to none and we have a great relationship with them. They communicate very well with us and liaise with our customers.”

Safety is paramount as these products are often delivered to large, live sites such as schools, universities and hospitals.

“Our hauliers must meet stringent safety procedures, particularly with COVID, and our deliveries require tail-lifts and pump trucks as a minimum,” says Nikki.

The company can send out up to 200 pallets per week during winter and 350 pallets per week during the summer. Despite repeated lockdowns, Garland has had its busiest year because many public buildings have undergone significant maintenance while closed.

It started using Safe Transport in May 2020 after the first lockdown period, and Burton says they are extremely happy with the choice.

“All our deliveries must be made in the morning because roofing is exclusively carried out early in the day,” says Nikki. “We can accept orders up until 12noon and have confidence they will be delivered the following morning.”