Stobart Group pioneers the first fully refrigerated train service from Spain

Print Article

STOBART GROUP PIONEERS LOWER CARBON FRESH ‘FRUIT AND VEG’ WITH THE ARRIVAL IN THE UK OF THE FIRST FULLY REFRIGERATED TRAIN SERVICE FROM SPAIN

London, England 30 October 2009 – At 00.00am today history was made when the new Stobart Rail train service exited Eurotunnel and arrived in Britain on schedule after a 1,100 mile journey from Valencia. The new weekly service, in conjunction with rail operator DB Schenker, provides for the first time a low carbon alternative for retailers and consumers, for the import of fresh Spanish produce.

The pioneering rail service from Valencia to the Ford Dagenham railhead features a number of firsts in the industry and generates significant environmental savings over the normal route to market by road:

Key facts on the new Stobart Rail, Valencia to Dagenham Service:

Longest train journey in Europe by a single operator
First fully refrigerated train service to go through Eurotunnel>
Reduction of 13.7 million kilometres of road journeys per year
Reduction in CO2 emissions of 8,625 tonnes annually
Faster journey time than by road with corresponding improvement in produce “shelf life”
Each refrigerated container is monitored remotely by Stobart from “pack-house to customer” to ensure the temperature is precisely controlled and the produce arrives on time and in optimum condition
For the first time retailers and consumers have a faster and lower carbon alternative for the import of “fruit and veg” from Spain

On the return journey to Spain the train will be full of pallets being carried for CHEP, ensuring there is not an empty journey. This is consistent with Stobart Group’s philosophy to take waste out of the supply chain at every level. It is the same philosophy that enables the Eddie Stobart truck fleet to run with full loads 84 per cent of the time compared to the industry average of 70 per cent.

“We believe this service represents a real breakthrough. For the first time, supermarkets and consumers have a quicker and much lower carbon alternative to importing fresh fruit and veg from Spain by road,” said Andrew Tinkler, CEO of Stobart Group.

He added: “In conjunction with our partner DB Schenker, we will start the new service with one train per week but we believe that when our customers see the benefits we will soon be able to develop this into a daily service, increasing the efficiencies and environmental benefits by a factor of five.”

William Stobart, COO of Stobart Group, added: “We are also actively investigating the opportunity to extend the train service from the current terminal in Dagenham through the UK to our multi-modal terminal at Widnes, which is the ideal hub for distribution into the heartland of the UK.

“An extension of the train to this facility would take even more trucks off Britain’s crowded road network and make the total carbon saving for the transport of oranges, lemons and other Spanish fruit and veg even greater. At Widnes we also have extensive chilled warehouse and distribution facilities, adding further synergies and all part of our multi modal logistics offering to Stobart customers,” he said.

The Stobart Group, which is perhaps best known for its iconic Eddie Stobart truck fleet, complete with its own spotters and supporters club, is rapidly becoming the UK’s leading provider of multimodal logistics solutions with integrated road, rail, sea and air businesses. This ground breaking new rail service builds on recent announcements by Stobart Group which have seen innovations in modal shift in the UK from road to rail and numerous schemes to reduce waste and emissions in all aspects of the supply chain.

www.eddiestobart.co.uk

February 2010 - Deutsche Messe postpones premiere of industrial tradeshows in Dubai until 2011

Deutsche Messe is postponing the industrial trade fairs CeMAT MIDDLE EAST, Industrial Automation (IA) MIDDLE EAST and Motion, Drive & Automation (MDA) MIDDLE EAST – all originally schedu led to take place in February 2010 – until 2011.

March 2010 - Stuttgart, 2nd - 4th March

From 2 to 4 March 2010 LogiMAT, the International Trade Fair for Distribution, Materials Handling and Information Flow, is taking place in Stuttgart accompanied by an extensive fringe programme. It is the eighth edition of this annual meeting point for the intralogistics industry – the largest in Europe.

March 2010 - France, 23rd - 26th

Transport and Logistics services, Supply chain Management, Logistics Infrastructures, Logistics Real Estate, Technologies and Information Systems, Materials Handling and Warehouse equipment…

April 2010 - Cleveland, 26th - 29th

NA 2010 (The 2010 Material Handling & Logistics Show and Conference) will bring together manufacturers, consultants, third party logistics providers, publishers and system integrators to demonstrate their equipment, systems and services to tens of thousands of industry professionals from around the world, seeking productivity solutions.

May 2010 - Barcelona, 25th - 28th

Barcelona, 23 November 2009. As part of its constant desire to improve the service it offers exhibitors and visitors as well as provide a bigger and better service, the International Logistics and Material Handling Exhibition (SIL) has updated its website.

June 2010 - Guangzhou, China, 2nd - 4th

In China, cold chain logistics industry is in its infancy, While cold chain market share on both sides of the Atlantic has already reached 80 - 90%-that in Europe and Russia is 50%, in developing countries in general is 10 - 20%-only 20% of freight moving in China goes refrigerated.

November 2010 - Eindhoven, 10th - 11th

It is with justified pride that Bureau Bosman BV is introducing Groothandel & Logistiek’s new trade show name. From now on, Groothandel & Logistiek will be called: Bedrijf en Logistiek, the trade show for goods-in, storage and goods-out. The eleventh edition will take place on November 10 and 11 in the Exhibition Building in Eindhoven.

November 2010 - Birmingham, 16th - 19th

Quartz Publishing & Exhibitions Ltd, organiser of the International Materials Handling Exhibition (IMHX), has announced that – in response to exhibitor requests – the show’s dates have moved from March to November next year.

The Armchair Shoppers
Home shopping and multi-channel retailing is an industry where the customer often seems tantalisingly elusive. That’s why, every year since 2000, the UK’s Royal Mail has commissioned the ‘Home Shopping Tracker Study’ to estimate the size of the UK market, both in terms of customers and spend.

Norway’s first gateway
The Norwegian port of Oslo has long been a focal point for the country’s trade, industry and population. Boasting a highly-agile and skilled logistics labour force the Port is on the cusp of a new era with major expansion and improvement.

A heartland pours open
Ideally located at the heart of western Europe, the Moselle Department, in the Lorraine region of France, offers many advantages to companies wishing to have a strategically located distribution platform.

Movement made easy
Elsewhere in the world of material handling expertise the Dutch logistics service provider Partner Logistics Europe B.V. has been busy in West Flanders. The company recently put into operation probably the largest ‘deep freeze chest’ in Belgium.

Forklift manufacturers react to energy crisis
“Thanks to their inherent high build quality Flexis are straightforward to maintain and our distributors are able to make healthy margins on used Flexis that they put back into the market on contract hire with maintenance packages.”

Legislation set to change
Highly automated warehouses make strict demands on personnel safety. Jarno Palo, of safety specialist Gunnebo Troax AB believes that health and safety legislation and European norms, such as the Machinery Directive, have a huge influence in the hub, covering everything from conveyors to cranes and industrial robots.

Contents Page
Logistics Business Magazine Contents Page