Chatham’s economic identity is built on centuries of engineering and manufacturing heritage – and today’s businesses across the area still depend heavily on road haulage in Chatham to keep materials, components, and finished goods moving. The former naval dockyard alone contributes an estimated £27.8 million annually to the local economy, but the freight demands of this area extend far beyond heritage and tourism into advanced manufacturing, construction, and industrial distribution.
The wider region registers one of the highest concentrations of transport and logistics employment in the UK, with construction activity generating a continuous flow of haulage requirements – from structural steel and aggregate to specialist cladding systems and mechanical plant. Manufacturing firms produce components ranging from precision-engineered parts to electrical assemblies, each requiring lorry transport in Chatham that matches the reliability their production schedules demand.
The local industrial and distribution property market has shown sustained resilience, with occupier demand for warehouse and logistics space remaining firm even through broader economic uncertainty. For your business in or around Chatham, this means a commercial environment where freight volumes are growing and the expectation of responsive, professionally managed haulage has become standard.
Whether your consignment weighs a few hundred kilograms or fills an entire curtainside or flatbed HGV, the transport needs to be coordinated with precision – and that coordination defines what businesses across the area expect from their haulage provider.
The small van is ideal for transporting packages or documents. It has space for up to 2 Europallets. The vehicle can only be loaded from the rear, has no dock height, and no tail lift.
The small van is ideal for transporting packages or documents. It has space for up to 2 Euro pallets. The vehicle can only be loaded from the rear, has no dock height, and no tail lift.
Capacity
Max. shipment weight
up to 400 kg
The medium van is suitable for up to 4 Europallets. The vehicle can only be loaded from the rear, has no dock height, and no tail lift.
The medium van is suitable for up to 4 Euro pallets. The vehicle can only be loaded from the rear, has no dock height, and no tail lift.
Capacity
Max. shipment weight
up to 800 kg
The large van can carry up to 5 euro pallets. The vehicle can only be loaded from the rear and has no dock-height access and no tail lift.
The large van can carry up to 5 euro pallets. The vehicle can only be loaded from the rear and has no dock-height access and no tail lift.
Capacity:
Maximum shipment weight:
up to 1,200 kg
The curtain-side van is suitable for heavy shipments and can carry up to 8 euro pallets. The vehicle can be loaded from the side and from the rear and has no dock-height access and no tail lift.
The curtain-side van can carry up to 8 euro pallets. The vehicle can be loaded from the side and from the rear. The vehicle has no dock-height access and no tail lift.
Capacity:
Maximum shipment weight:
up to 1,000 kg
The van with lifting platform is suitable for heavy shipments and can carry up to 8 Europallets. The vehicle can be loaded from the rear, it has no dock height.
The van with tail lift is suitable for heavy shipments and can load up to 8 Europallets. The vehicle can be loaded from the rear, it has no dock height.
Capacity:
per package up to 200 x 150 x 200 cm
Max. shipment weight:
per package up to 500 kg
up to 800kg in total
The 3t partial load is suitable for up to 14 pallets. The tarpaulin truck can be loaded from the rear and the side and is at dock height. A tail lift is available as an additional service.
The 3t partial load is suitable for up to 14 Europallets. The tarpaulin truck can be loaded from the rear and the side and is at dock height. A tail lift is available as an additional service.
Fits inside
Max. shipment weight
up to 3,000 kg
The 5t partial load is suitable for up to 14 pallets. The tarpaulin truck can be loaded from the rear and the side and is at dock height. A tail lift is available as an additional service.
The 5t partial load is suitable for up to 14 Europallets. The tarpaulin truck can be loaded from the rear and the side and is at dock height. A tail lift is available as an additional service.
Fits inside
Max. shipment weight
up to 5,000 kg
The 12t partial load is suitable for up to 18 pallets. The tarpaulin truck can be loaded from the rear and the side and is at dock height. The vehicle does not have a tail lift.
The 12t partial load is suitable for up to 18 Europallets. The tarpaulin truck can be loaded from the rear and the side and is at dock height. The vehicle does not have a tail lift.
Fits inside
Max. shipment weight
up to 12,000 kg
Our standard truck can carry up to 33 pallets. The tarpaulin truck can be loaded from the rear and the side and is at dock height. The vehicle does not have a tail lift.
Our standard truck can carry up to 33 Europallets. The tarpaulin truck can be loaded from the rear and the side and is at dock height. The vehicle does not have a tail lift.
Max. shipment weight
up to 24,000 kg
The prices for our freight forwarding services include 120 minutes for loading, unloading, and other waiting times. Each additional started hour costs 60 € net. No loading or unloading assistance from the driver. We do not conduct pallet exchanges. Island transports are generally only possible on request. Invoicing is done via email.
| Vehicle | Price | Dimensions | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small van | from 49 € | 2 Europallets 160 x 120 x 120 cm |
Max. 400 kg |
| Mid-Sized van | from 69 € |
4 Europallets 320 x 130 x 160 cm |
Max. 800 kg |
| Large van | from 119 € |
5 Europallets 420 x 135 x 180 cm |
Max. 1,200 kg |
| Curtainside van | from 149 € |
8 Europallets 420 x 210 x 210 cm |
Max. 1,000 kg |
| Tail lift and pallet truck | from 179 € | 8 Europallets 420 x 210 x 210 cm (200 x 150 x 200 cm per package) |
Max. 800 kg (500 kg per package) |
| Vehicle | Price | Dimensions | Payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3t Partial load | from 159 € | 14 Europallets 600 x 240 x 230 cm |
Max. 3,000 kg |
| 5t Partial load | from 189 € |
14 Europallets 600 x 240 x 230 cm |
Max. 5,000kg |
| 12t Partial load | from 249 € |
18 Europallets 720 x 240 x 270 cm |
Max. 12,000 kg |
| Standard-Truck | from 279 € | 33 Europallets 1,360 x 245 x 270 cm |
Max. 24,000kg |
The prices for our freight forwarding services include 120 minutes for loading, unloading, and other waiting times. Each additional started hour costs 60 € net. No loading or unloading assistance from the driver. We do not conduct pallet exchanges. Island transports are generally only possible on request. Invoicing is done via email.
Kent is designated as a priority area for ports, transport, and logistics development – and Chatham sits at the centre of this economic corridor. zipmend’s transport network connects your business to destinations across the entire United Kingdom and into continental Europe, with vehicle availability that reflects the operational tempo of the region’s manufacturing and construction sectors.
Freight collected in Chatham reaches London’s commercial districts, the industrial centres of the south-east, and European markets through the nearby Channel crossings. One coordinator handles your consignment from collection to delivery, with continuous visibility throughout.
The freight profile of Chatham reflects the area’s dual character as both a centre of production and a transit corridor towards the continent. Consignments heading westward feed into London’s perpetual development cycle – commercial goods, industrial components, and construction materials absorbed by the capital’s building programme. South-eastward, the Channel port at Dover provides direct access to European road networks, positioning this part of Kent as a natural staging area for cross-border consignments heading to destinations across the continent.
Within the county, the commercial property market continues to attract occupiers, sustaining regular freight movements between production sites, storage facilities, and end customers. Maidstone provides a broad base of mid-sized manufacturing and distribution operations that generate consistent haulage volumes, while the broader conurbation adds further depth – from specialist workshops dispatching precision components to large-scale warehousing operations coordinating weekly full-load movements.
The geographic scope of freight moving through Chatham extends well beyond the immediate area. The proximity to an international gateway gives your business a tangible advantage when consignments need to reach continental destinations within defined delivery windows. Domestic freight heading northward or westward benefits from established road corridors connecting the south-east with the industrial heartlands and distribution centres further inland.
The concentration of commercial activity across the county means that collection and delivery points are spread across a wide variety of site types – from secured industrial estates with dedicated loading bays to constrained urban locations where access timing and vehicle dimensions become critical factors in planning each transport. Whether a consignment requires a rigid lorry manoeuvring into a tight yard or a full-length articulated HGV collecting from a purpose-built distribution centre, the coordination behind each load needs to reflect the realities on the ground.
For your haulage requirements from Chatham, this corridor position translates into fast vehicle availability and efficient access to a wide range of destinations. The combination of domestic reach and proximity to the Channel crossings gives you flexibility whether your freight stays within the UK or moves into continental supply chains. zipmend coordinates each consignment through this network – handling the logistics from your collection address through to the final delivery point, with clear responsibility and visibility at every stage.
A full truck is too big for what you want to send? No problem, because we also offer express journeys with smaller vehicles and a maximum payload of 1200kg.