Parnis England Trucking is this year celebrating 30 years of operation. The idea behind the company which started official operations in 1983 was that of Stephen Parnis England, at the time working for W.J. Parnis England to gain business experience before going to university in the UK. During his gap year, he saw that there was a need for efficient road transport cargo links and services between Malta and Europe and saw the huge potential it would give to Maltese traders and industrialists who would be able to buy and import less than container load cargoes. This gave importers the benefit of buying smaller parcels of cargo on a more regular basis.
At the time the shipping industry was ruled by conferences which did not allow shipping lines to call on Malta unless they were part of the conference. The effect was that freight rates were very high as competition was not allowed. These conferences stayed in place until 1988. The trucking idea was the beginning of a new era.
The late Chev. John Parnis England, the managing director and main shareholder at the time, saw the benefits of his son Stephen’s proposal. The first steps were to decide on the trade routes, identify potential overseas trucking partners, invest in equipment, evaluate local interest, recruit and train staff, and negotiate good rates with ferry operators Sea Malta.
The first agreement was made with Anglo Overseas Co. Limited on the UK-Malta-UK route. This gave W.J. Parnis England the opportunity to operate without initially having to invest in its own equipment. The immediate success spurred W.J. Parnis England to create a new company, Parnis England Trucking, which would operate independently from W.J. Parnis England. It also provided motivation to expand its international agency network to other European destinations and in investing in its own trailer fleet.
The company has grown from an initial annual turnover of approximately €200,000 to the present yearly turnover of several million. Joining the European Union provided Parnis England Trucking with the opportunity to operate within a liberalised market in Europe, compete in trans-European cabotage and carry cargoes within Europe which were not destined for Malta. EU accession also helped reduce the hefty repositioning of empty equipment costs.
On the export market, Parnis England Trucking believes that the quality service they provided, together with other local trailer operators, has assisted local manufacturers and exporters in successfully putting Malta on the map. Trailer operators form an integral part of the supply chain management to manufacturer exporters. Stephen Parnis England, current managing director, believes that the government should acknowledge the importance of trailer operators in Malta. He contends that local trailer operators should benefit from investment subsidies, be given tax credits in the same way as are offered to export companies, and be offered a dedicated area for parking and maintaining trailers. He acknowledges the fact that certain investments have been made by the government, like the centralised zone at Ħal Far which serves its purposes but is in need of an upgrade.
Parnis England Trucking believes that in this era of globalisation and technology there is room for medium-size family companies which offer quality, personalised service and excellent customer service: a company like Parnis England Trucking that has years of experience behind it, an experienced older sister, and a human voice at the end of the telephone. Plans for the future are to continually reinvest in its core markets, grow organically and carry on emphasising its dedication to service. Parnis England Trucking was the first trailer operator in Malta to be awarded the quality ISOcertification over 12 years ago.
All this would not have been possible without the dedication and loyalty of the Parnis England Trucking team. Operational manager Sandro Camilleri has worked with Parnis England Trucking from the very first day and his energy, precision for detail and enthusiasm have been a driving force. The low staff turnover reflects the same tradition of loyalty and dedication that the company tries to achieve in dealings with its clients. The company’s excellent relationship with the local haulier White Bros has also contributed to the success of the company.