PACK & SEND has opened a new service centre in Liverpool to help local artists, antique dealers and other businesses to safely ship fragile, large, unusual and valuable items worldwide.
The opening marks a new direction for store owner and PACK & SEND franchise partner Matthew France, who has developed a strong knowledge of shipping while working with Royal Mail since returning to the UK from France, where he spent more than two decades building and running a business in Val-d’Isère.
Berkshire-born Mr France lived in his namesake country from 2000, where he set up a small bar in the Alpine ski resort with his sister and ran it for 18 years, before buying out her share in 2018. He and his Liverpool-born wife later moved back to the UK after his wife secured a place at the University of Liverpool to study nursing.
On arriving back in the UK, Matthew worked in the parcel department of Royal Mail to supplement his income from his ownership of the bar and while he looked for new business opportunities in the Liverpool area.
Based on his understanding and passion for the world of specialist shipping, PACK & SEND stood out as a perfect fit. With locations across the UK, PACK & SEND offers a range of postal, freight, courier, packing and removal services, concentrating on the shipment of items that require special handling.
Across its network of centres, PACK & SEND has previously handled packing and shipping of artworks by some of the world’s most famous artists, including Banksy, Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol, Tracey Emin and Jeff Koons, and is an approved service provider to LAPADA, the largest association of professional art and antiques dealers in the UK.
Other types of item commonly handled include hi-tech parts, IT and electronic units, manufacturing components, medical and lab equipment, and musical instruments.
On launching PACK & SEND in Liverpool, Mr France said: “Having decided to move on from the hospitality trade and gaining valuable experience with Royal Mail, I was looking for a business opportunity that combined the skills and knowledge acquired through both of my previous roles.
“What attracted me to PACK & SEND was the opportunity to move into a service-led business with strong demand and real variety from one day to the next. In the shipping and courier market, it fills an important niche, specialising in handling items of any size, value, or fragility with precision and care.
“From delicate artworks to large machinery, we ensure items are securely packaged and safely transported to destinations worldwide. We also help people when they are, for instance, relocating overseas, or sending exotic gifts.
“With ecommerce continuing to grow, it felt like the right time to make the move, and Liverpool felt like the right place to do it. It’s an amazing place with such fantastic culture and music, and a vibrancy you don’t find anywhere else. It is exciting to start a new chapter here and to build a business serving both local people and companies across the Liverpool city region and surrounding areas.”
For more information go to www.packsend.co.uk.