Davies Turner builds up UK freight hubs with newly acquired site

DAVIES Turner, an independent freight forwarder based in the UK, is completing a major re-investment programme at its main regional hubs, following its freehold acquisition of the 7,000-square metre Hams Hall Cross Dock in Coleshill in June.

The company says it has benefited from growing demand for its combination of multimodal freight forwarding, warehousing and distribution services.Such has been the expansion of the business handled in the Midlands that the company is now adding 3,200 square metres of floor-space at Hams Hall by constructing a heavy duty mezzanine.

"The secret with such structures is to build them with the maximum spans between the supporting columns," a statement said.

It said the columns are spaced over nine metres apart so as not to impede cargo handling on the ground floor. The cross dock platform also has the advantage of 40 loading doors with powered dock levellers, and it is eight-metre high at the eaves.

By installing conveyors and a double pallet lift, the company has developed a transit warehouse, which is suitable for both fast moving consolidation services, and/or internet order fulfilment. The site is over 2.5 hectares (6.2 acres) so it has a very large service yard benefiting from a 2.4-metre high weld-mesh perimeter fence and gatehouse security.

At the same time, the company has been investing in additional narrow-aisle racking at Coleshill which now has 12,000 standard pallet locations plus another 9,000 square metre of floor space for picking, sorting and dispatch.

In the London area, the company is steadily replacing and renewing the powered dock levellers serving the 60 loading doors at its Dartford international distribution centre.

Within the RDC energy efficient lighting has been installed and the service yard has been raised by up to 30 centimetres to cater for new trailer loading heights.

For some trade lanes, the company has to operate double-deck trailers and it has also purchased extra long 16.35-metre trailers to test on overnight feeder services.

In Manchester, the company has its main regional distribution centre but it also connects daily with the hub at Cumbernauld between Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as via the company's Dublin Branch and with Bristol for South Wales and the West Country.

Davies Turner has also leased a third warehouse in Avonmouth of 4,500 square metre as the basis for much-needed expansion for the firm in the south west as its RDC was already working close to full capacity.