MIDDLESBROUGH
Positive – David Nicholson says it ’ s a hugely exciting time for the Tees Valley
Transformed – The refurbished warehouse was once home to drug users to regenerate the space and give it a new lease of life – all of which was completed in a matter of months , with the help of Teessidebased businesses – it ’ s now being used as the centre of distribution and e-commerce fulfilment activity for the company .
That ’ s no mean feat when you consider just how rundown the building was when David and his team of six were first handed the keys .
Now firmly settled into the building , whose exterior has been given a muchneeded makeover , complete with company branding , Burnside Distribution and E-Commerce Fulfilment , along with the other Nicholson Group companies , is now working on establishing its profile within the Tees Valley business community .
David is also working with stakeholders and business support organisations to see how his company can benefit from the freeport status granted to Tees Valley by the government last year .
Covering 4,500 acres , Teesside Freeport is the largest in the UK . To put the size into perspective , it is equivalent to 2,550 football pitches . It will create more than 18,000 jobs and provide a £ 3.2bn boost to the local economy over the next five years .
Freeports are secure customs zones located at ports where business can be carried out inside a country ’ s land border , but where different customs rules apply . They can reduce administrative burdens and tariff controls , provide relief from duties and import taxes , and ease tax and planning regulations . While located geographically within a country , they essentially exist outside its borders for tax purposes .
David said : “ Although we have no intention of being a bonded facility , we are located right on the pathway of the freeport zone , and that means we can add value .
“ What I ’ m looking at is how we can position ourselves so that we ’ re the partner of choice for those companies that want to be within the boundaries , particularly those who import and export goods and need secure storage space and a pick and pack facility on Teesside .
“ It ’ s a hugely exciting time for the Tees Valley and , as a fairly new addition to the area ’ s business community , I want to do everything I can to get people talking about Burnside Distribution and E-Commerce Fulfilment , which will help position us as the number one name within our sector .
“ Our location is perfect . However , we know we need to get people aware of , and talking about , our business if we ’ re to really capitalise on the opportunities available through the freeport status .”
So what does the future hold for Burnside Distribution and E-Commerce Fulfilment ?
Business manager Seb Luder , who oversees all day-to-day operations for the company , said : “ Our business has evolved since we first launched two years ago and thanks to investment in market leading platforms and the simplified and transparent processes we ’ ve put in place , we ’ re able to offer a fully integrated service which streamlines the total fulfilment experience for our clients , who in turn continue to grow year on year .
“ Whether you ’ re a sole trader looking for support to distribute your product , or a large multi-national company that needs an experienced warehousing and fulfilment partner , the team at Burnside can help .
“ We are currently expanding our e-commerce fulfilment space to keep up with demand for our existing and potential clients . It ’ s not the final stage of our refurbishment journey , but it really sets us up for how we want our business to go moving forward .”
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