FEATURE
Facility – Part of AV Dawson ’ s Port of Middlesbrough site .
Key Features
One of the largest , most flexible rail freight facilities in the north of England
Four market specific rail terminals Directly connected to the national rail network
Purpose-built international rail terminal in a prime position in the heart of industrial Teesside
Powder room – The dry bulks rail terminal is used for handling specialist aggregates and mineral cargos .
This extensive rail infrastructure provides increased efficiency and environmental benefits , as it allows cargo to be transported directly from rail to ship , or into rail-connected warehouse storage without the need for additional road transport . More than 10 kilometres of operational rail lines are available to transport goods to and from its warehouses and quaysides .
Covering six hectares of land , the dry bulks rail terminal is used for handling specialist aggregates and mineral cargos , including daily trains of polyhalite . The terminal includes a rail pit and an extensive network of conveyor belts for unloading the cargo directly into its warehouses .
The climate-controlled automotive metals store offers a unique , state-of-theart facility with a rail terminal linking directly into the warehouse .
The store provides efficient loading and unloading from train to crane and directly into the store , with no requirements for road transport and no delays caused by adverse weather .
It provides an integrated model , making rail even more competitive for the customer by providing increased speed and efficiency , improved customer service , value for money and reduced impact on the environment – saving around 100 tonnes of CO2 every year .
It also showcases the efficiency of seamless rail connectivity , encouraging more businesses to consider rail .
More recently , the company acquired the dry bulk business , Cobra Middlesbrough , as part of its strategic investment and expansion plans .
The Cobra site , which is directly adjacent to Port of Middlesbrough , boasts extensive rail infrastructure and has direct access to the East Coast Mainline , providing additional rail capacity for the port to support existing and new customers in the dry bulk and aggregates markets .
Charlie Nettle , group managing director designate at AV Dawson , said : “ The rail sector is a hugely important industry for us and has been for the last three decades . The amount of investment the business has put into the sector demonstrates just how crucial it is to the future of the business .
“ The acquisition of Cobra Middlesbrough , and more recently , Newport Park – a site we recently purchased adjacent to Tees Advanced Manufacturing Park – has seen us extend our footprint a further 12 acres in the last 12 months .
“ These investments are strategically important for us , and specifically Cobra , for its excellent rail connectivity . Both will allow us to drive the business forward and improve efficiencies for our customers .
“ With sustainability being at the forefront of the business , we try to grasp any opportunity we can to take a substantial amount of heavy traffic off the roads . Rail and road complement each other , so it is important that each mode plays to its strengths and that is what AV Dawson is putting into practice .
“ Rail freight has an important role in providing a safer , sustainable alternative to HGVs , which reduces road congestion .
“ This is a significant aspect of our net zero strategy . Our ultimate aim is to become a carbon-neutral business and we see rail as a big opportunity to help us and our customers to achieve this .”
The voice of business in the Tees region | 79