Peel Ports Invests £8m in the Port of Liverpool
An £8 million investment in the Port of Liverpool’ animal feed warehouse facility makes it the largest of its type in the U.K., increasing capacity by 60% to 400,000sq.ft, allowing Peel Ports Group to add value to its customer supply chains and create effective logistics solutions, the company said.
The Port of Liverpool is the U.K.’s most centrally positioned port and can uniquely connect by water to the major conurbations of Glasgow, Dublin, Belfast and Manchester, via the Manchester Ship Canal. Goods can be moved on an all-water route to the heart of the U.K., making the Port of Liverpool the most sustainable inland route for goods destined for the Midlands, Northern England, Scotland, Ireland and North Wales.
The GAFTA (Grain and Feed Trade Association) approved facility, which now has capacity for 140,000 metric tons of animal feed, will serve livestock industry in the Port of Liverpool’s hinterland of the Midlands, Wales and the North of the U.K. It is a dedicated facility for the use of global animal feed trader and stockholder Arkady Feed Ltd. U.K.
The extension, which has been completed on time and on budget, has included parallel investment in materials handling and discharge equipment and infrastructure. The port has invested in six new JCB wheel loaders for the animal feed facility, and has upgraded its automated grain facility control system, which will drive efficiencies in the discharge and transit of material from ship to warehouse.
A major upgrade to the terminal management operating system by port technology specialist DBIS will include the automatic accrual of storage and handling charges, vessel discharge optimization and the ability to provide real time key performance indicator reports on both operational and customer service.
The improved facility will mean customer Arkady can consolidate its regional imports to one central U.K. distribution center, reducing cost and carbon in their supply chain and driving sustainable efficiencies.
David Huck, Port Director at Peel Ports Liverpool, said, “This investment in our animal feed handling and storage solutions is just one in a series of significant customer investments we are making across our port group. As a service industry business, we are constantly assessing our offering to make sure our customers benefit from a best-in-class process handling and a consistent quality of delivery. The bulk feed facility developed for Arkady is very much in line with our business and customer strategy."
Graham Atkinson, Managing Director at Arkady, said, “The Port of Liverpool is strategically placed to serve our customers in the Midlands and the North of the U.K. Added to this, Peel Ports as a group is continually looking at ways in which it can support and bring added value to our supply chain – which is why we have imported through Liverpool for over 20 years. Our long term agreement on the extended warehouse will enhance storage and distribution facilities and will help make the whole of our supply chain more efficient and cost effective. Through Peel Ports we now have a partnership which will enhance of growing and ever changing business needs.”
peelports.co.uk
