Feature, Logistics

The big chill in Tilbury

[ March 23, 2015   //   Chris ]

Forth Ports and NFT Distribution are to build a £20million temperature-controlled distribution centre at the Port of Tilbury.

The centre, planned to open in late 2015, will be a port centric distribution centre and one of the largest refrigerated quayside facilities in Europe, expected to create 500 new jobs. It Its 230,000sq ft area will have a capacity of 25,000 pallets and it will be able to handle more than 2.5 million cases per week. It will have over 1,400 reefer points and onsite examination services for customs clearance.

Forth Ports says the investment will take the port centric concept to another level with NFT’s major customers benefiting from a complete integration with the wider port operations at Tilbury and the adjacent London Container Terminal (LCT). T

LCT also benefits from a mix of global deep sea, and European feedering and short sea links which already carry a multitude of chilled goods through the terminal.

Forth Ports chief executive Charles Hammond said: “Being located at London’s major port at Tilbury, this new distribution centre will be at the heart of the logistics process and support NFT’s goal to ensure a seamless experience for their major customers in the UK.

And NFT chief executive, David Frankish, added: “This port centric extension to NFT’s offering and substantial expansion to our chilled warehousing capacity in the South East will be a further step in defining our future development and growth as a key innovator of logistics services for the UK and global food industry. We deliver £11 billion worth of food products (at retail value) to UK retailers and manufacturers each year and NFT has experienced major success borne of its ability to provide integrated solutions to complex logistical challenges.”

Pictured: Perry Glading, port of Tilbury; David Frankish, NFT; and Charles Hammond, Forth Ports

Tags: Forth Ports, NFT, Tilbury