Middlesbrough freight logistics firm AV Dawson has signed a multi-million pound deal with a major blue-chip manufacturer, securing new business and jobs in Teesside.
AV Dawson has won a contract with British Gypsum, the UK’s market leader for plaster and plasterboard products, to import materials through its site in Middlesbrough.
British Gypsum, part of the global Saint Gobain group, is importing a product which is used to make plaster and plasterboard, through AV Dawson’s Teesside freight terminal, based on Riverside Park in Middlesbrough.
The long term contract takes advantage of the company’s full multimodal logistics offer; with the product arriving by ship at AV Dawson’s berth for unloading into storage, before being loaded into trains for daily deliveries to the East Midlands area.
The new agreement will mean ten new jobs at AV Dawson and over £2 million investment in new facilities and plant equipment. A new £1m purpose-built canopy , based on the southern end of the firm’s site will be used to store the product. A direct rail link will enter the canopy, allowing for the product to be loaded directly onto trains, without adverse weather conditions hampering operations and keeping the product dry to reduce the amount of energy required to remove moisture from the product when it arrives at the factory.
Gary Dawson, AV Dawson managing director said: “We’re thrilled to bring a big hitter such as British Gypsum to the Tees. This is a major new contract for our business and represents a significant increase in the number of ships and trains coming into our site.
“Using both our port and rail facilities really makes the most of the capabilities of our terminal. Our ships agency, Cockfield Knight, which is part of the AV Dawson group, has also supported the operation, enabling us to provide a very comprehensive service offering. With the addition of the new rail canopy, which we’ve invested in to provide British Gypsum with a purpose-built storage and loading solution, we have developed an environmentally efficient solution that enables our customer to reduce its energy and CO2.
“This new contract will create new jobs at AV Dawson and help secure the future for over 200 existing employees. It also represents a significant leap forward for our longer term strategy to expand our operations in the aggregates and minerals sector.”
Kevin Flinton, Saint Gobain’s senior procurement manager said: “We awarded this new contract to AV Dawson because of the flexible and environmentally efficient solution they’ve provided to our business. We also liked that the business was prepared to take a long term view; investing further in its facilities to ensure it could deliver the highest quality service for us.”
Contact:
Anthony Suddes, AV Dawson Marketing & Communications
+44 (0)1642 256843 or (0)7808 761125
Notes to Editors:
AV Dawson provides better connectivity across Road, Rail, Land and Sea through its Teesside freight handling facilities, including shipping and rail freight terminals, warehousing and supporting road transport fleet. Employing 240 people across the region AV Dawson is dedicated to the development and improvement of its employees and the community in which it operates.
AV Dawson has recently undergone a £12.5 million master plan which has enabled the company to grow more than a third. The three-phase plan included a £2.6m intermodal rail terminal, which provides freight firms with a direct link to the East Coast Mainline, and a £3.4m deepwater quay which allows companies to kit out vessels and ship wind turbine components out to sea. The Middlesbrough-based firm has now finalised its latest growth phase with the opening of its £6.5m automotive steel distribution centre.
About British Gypsum:
British Gypsum, part of the Saint-Gobain group, is the UK’s leading manufacturer of interior lining systems. The company produces gypsum based systems including plaster, plasterboard and ceiling solutions. With over a century of experience, it has developed innovative products and services that help customers build better spaces to live, work and play.
British Gypsum offers a range of plasters, partition, wall lining, floor, ceiling and plasterboard systems for the residential, commercial, off-site and RMI (refurbishment, maintenance and improvement) sectors of the construction industry. All British Gypsum technical literature is available to download from www.british-gypsum.com.
About Saint-Gobain:
Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and solutions which are key ingredients in the wellbeing of each of us and the future of all. They can be found everywhere in our living places and our daily life: in buildings, transportation, infrastructure and in many industrial applications. They provide comfort, performance and safety while addressing the challenges of sustainable construction, resource efficiency and climate change.
€40.8 billion in sales in 2017
Operates in 67 countries
More than 179,000 employees
For more information about Saint-Gobain, visit www.saint-gobain.com or @saintgobain.