Peter Pallett has retired from logistics specialist HPL Sea Freight after an illustrious 47-year career in the fresh produce industry.

Pallett’s retirement as account manager at HPL was marked with a presentation by the company’s directors and staff last month.

He took his first job as a traffic clerk in the Passenger and Traffic department of Elders and Fyffes Ltd, shortly after a trial period as a footballer at Leyton Orient FC in August 1962, before moving on to Goodwin, Ridley and Houlding of Spitalfields.

His next transfer was into freight forwarding with the Lep Group of companies where, during a 20-year period, he became director of their subsidiary companies of EGE and EGE, eventually controlling all their port offices along the South Coast.

In 1986, he co-founded Complete Port Services in Barry Docks handling break bulk vessels from around the world before being appointed as director of Perishables Transport Co a year later. He went on to work for Channel Express and LEP Produce for the second time, before working with HPL at Heathrow.

Pallett has also worked in close conjunction with the Fresh Produce Consortium and was a member of various working committees of HM Revenue & Customs and DEFRA.

He sends his regards to all colleagues, friends and acquaintances that he has made in the fresh produce industry and thanked his wife, Cathy, for her support.

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