MIDDLESBROUGH
Green investment – In 2015 , AV Dawson built its automotive metals store , an award-winning , climate-controlled warehouse featured ground-sourced heating , water harvesting and solar panels .
Land and buildings at Port of Middlesbrough that are rented out to third parties represent a significant part of AV Dawson ’ s property portfolio .
The site is home to 35 businesses which are tenants at Port of Middlesbrough , including international , national and local companies .
One of those customers is alternative fuel producer WasteKnot Energy ( WKE ).
WKE manufactures waste-to-energy pellets by recycling old industrial plastics .
The pellets are processed , and the plastics are removed and then dried to become Solid , Improved Recovered Fuel ( SIRF ).
The pellets are used as an alternative to coal , producing green energy while contributing to a circular economy . In line with its environmental commitments , AV Dawson built the waste-to-energy processing facility and a warehouse for WKE to store the alternative fuel pellets onsite before they are exported overseas .
At the end of 2023 , WKE welcomed its first international shipment of renewable energy pellets to the Middlesbrough port .
The vessel was loaded with 7,000 tonnes of recyclable fuel pellets , which WKE had produced at its newly-commissioned processing plant and storage facilities .
Charlie Nettle , AV Dawson ' s group managing director , said : “ Securing this exciting new project at Port of Middlesbrough is a big win for AV Dawson and Teesside .
“ This revolutionary new product supports the journey to net zero by enabling businesses to transition from fossil fuels to a new source of green fuel . Attracting this project to Port of Middlesbrough also contributes to Teesside ' s broader positioning as a hub for green energy .
" Having started this project in 2021 , it ' s great to finally see the first international shipment being exported .
“ This project is over two years in the making , so this is a very proud moment for us and WKE to see it come to fruition .
" It ' s fascinating to be involved in these new green fuel and waste-to-energy sectors as they develop and it ' s fantastic to be now chartering ships through our ships agency , Cockfield Knight and loading these ships at our site so that the pellets can be exported across the world .”
WKE ' s chief executive officer Ian Jones said : “ This is a massive milestone for us as it represents the completion of commissioning , from the waste arriving at our plant to the product being shipped out .
“ We ' re ideally located for bulk shipments , and we can do anything from 3,000 to 10,000 tonnes in a single shipment .”
The movement of this shipment marks the
start of a new chapter for the AV Dawson group as it expands into renewables and recyclables markets , contributing to the port ' s environmental focus and green credentials .
Another environmental development for the Teesside firm is that it recently undertook a trial of some Compressed Natural Gas ( CNG ) trucks . These trucks provide an alternative to diesel-fuelled vehicles and run entirely on gas .
CNG can reduce a vehicle ' s carbon emissions by approximately 90 per cent .
The trial of these new trucks is the first step in reducing the carbon outputs of the firm ’ s transport business , AV Dawson Transport .
Switching from diesel to alternative fuels is big on the agenda for the whole of the AV Dawson group .
This transition is already underway with recent investments in electric forklift trucks , electric vans and the introduction of a company electric vehicle scheme .
Charlie continued : “ As has been the case for many companies , the pandemic has been somewhat of an eye-opener and we recognised we really needed to ramp up our sustainability drive .
“ This has been kick-started with the launch of our Environmental , Social , and Governance ( ESG ) strategy . The implementation of this strategy will allow us to focus heavily on these aspects .
“ The strategy formulates our commitment to the planet , our engagement with the local community and our focus on being an ethical , responsible business .
“ We ’ re dedicated to inspiring and engaging with the community and the next generation , honouring our rich history and protecting what we have built .”
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