FEATURE
Bird ’ s eye view – a drone shot of the Cobra and surrounding sites .
looking at ways we can progress and be the best we can be .
“ We are also coming to the end of a four-year plan to develop the business ’ group structure . This structure allows different areas of the business to function in their own right and gives them more autonomy to make key decisions while utilising the wider business ’ shared services , including HR , marketing and health and safety .
“ We are a hugely resourceful company – we always have been – and can make quick decisions and make things happen , not just internally but with customers too .”
More recent developments include the acquisition of two new sites , extending the firms ’ land to 115 acres , both of which are part of Teesside Freeport areas . Just before this , in 2022 , the business also acquired dry bulk business Cobra Middlesbrough , which operates on a seven-acre rail facility adjacent to Port of Middlesbrough .
Gareth continued : “ The expansion of our footprint on Riverside Park will allow us to attract new customers as we reach capacity at our Port of Middlesbrough base , but also gives us the opportunity to unlock the benefits of our freeport status . As a secondary customs zone in the Teesside Freeport , we are currently exploring how the freeport benefits can assist our current tenants and potential new customers . We ’ re attracting key players to Teesside and these businesses are moving to larger vessels , so we need to continue to adapt to support their needs .
“ Larger vessels often means larger space requirements to store the cargo . Our freeport sites can be developed
to include warehousing , storage , laydown areas or manufacturing facilities – the possibilities are endless .”
Beyond its own Middlesbrough site , the business also offers a number of logistics services on third party sites . Through its subsidiary business , AVD Industrial & Port Services , it provides a range of services on customers ’ own sites , from stevedoring and shunting to a complete end-to-end logistics service .
Gareth continued : “ The business ’ strategy was always to be a Middlesbrough-based company so we have chosen to stay in the area , invest , grow , develop and expand . Our roots have always been in the town and as we grow , this will help bring prosperity to the area and well-paid jobs for local people .
“ However , we have extensive expertise in the port and logistics sector , so the strategy behind our independent port and logistics business is to integrate our teams onto our customers ’ sites to help streamline operations and add value .”
The exciting addition of Cobra Middlesbrough will allow the logistics firm to unlock new rail opportunities . Gareth added : “ The acquisition of Cobra Middlesbrough is particularly important to us because of its fantastic rail connectivity and will allow us to expand and diversify in certain markets , especially in the bulks and aggregates sectors .
Acquisitions – The company ’ s sites now total 115 acres .
“ Rail is typically the greener way to transport cargo and we are continually working with more of our customers to help them identify opportunities to transition from road to rail , so we need to ensure we have the capacity to accommodate their requirements .
“ This is a huge focus for us as a business , as we look to put our net zero strategy into action with the ultimate aim to become carbon neutral , and we see rail as a big opportunity to help us and our customers achieve this .”
Being proudly part of the Teesside Freeport , the UK ’ s first and largest freeport , the business is looking forward to the future and what opportunities it will bring .
Gareth concluded : “ The future looks exciting for businesses in Teesside , particularly as a business that is part of the Teesside Freeport . With all the developments in the region right now , we see massive prospects for the river community .
“ Being the UK ’ s first freeport is a real advantage and we need to make the most of this and keep the momentum going .”
The voice of business in the Tees region | 145