Before September 2008, Hilary Devey was best known as the tenacious founder and owner of pallet distribution company Pall-Ex. But her persona has assumed a new dimension since her appearance last year on Channel Four’s The Secret Millionaire. Becky Done talks to her about her remarkable success in a maledominated industry and how she sees the future for manufacturing and logistics in the UK
HILARY DEVEY was in her late thirties when she single-handedly founded pallet distribution company Pall-Ex. Working around the clock to ensure it would be a success, she pitched relentlessly to hauliers nationwide in an attempt to sign them up to membership of her pallet network. She has since confessed that, at the time, she could not afford to count failure as an option – so she understands better than most the hard work and determination required to build a successful business. Today, Pall-Ex is well positioned; but the challenge for many firms right now is survival in a crisis.
