Hilary Devey founded Pall-Ex, the pallet distribution network, in 1996.
Pall-Ex was created to coordinate the movement of palletised freight through a network of independent hauliers. This model allowed smaller transport companies to work together on national distribution while retaining their own operations, a practical response to the difficulty of moving single pallets efficiently.
Devey became the company’s chief executive and grew her public profile through business media. She later joined Dragons' Den as a Dragon, bringing logistics and transport experience to the investment panel.
The company name is sometimes mistaken for a conventional haulage firm owned and operated from one central fleet. Pall-Ex is better understood as a pallet network built around member hauliers. Devey’s television career also included presenting the BBC programme The Intern.