We are proud to open our new fulfilment and distribution facility in Doncaster, UK, enabling us to grow our headcount in the Yorkshire region by 35%.
As part of a strategic move to service the growing needs of existing and recently won new business in the packaging industry, we have invested into a 195,000 sq ft facility which is part of iPort, the UK’s most advanced multimodal logistics hub.
iPort is being developed by Verdion to market leading standards. As part of its 800-acre site it includes iPort Rail, a Grade A cargo facility which runs services from Southampton, Felixstowe, London Gateway and Teesport delivering a reliable, efficient and carbon conscious supply chain solution across the UK and direct services to Europe via the Channel Tunnel.
We are investing into optimising the facility to offer carbon-conscious distribution and fulfilment solutions, installing state of the art low energy LED lighting with movement (PIR) and light sensors, which controls lighting capacity based on available daylight and need by movement, resulting in significant reduction of energy usage.
The facility will run lithium-ion forklift trucks and a plastic and packaging free warehouse while delivering carbon-conscious ground transport including optimised trucking and rail solutions.
In addition to our investment into optimising and reducing its energy usage and output, we will also switch to renewable energy sources to power our Doncaster fulfilment and distribution offering.
Supply chains relying on goods coming into or out of the UK have shifted following recent regulatory changes between the UK and the rest of the world with far-reaching impact on the logistics and manufacturing sectors. Our latest investment represents the industry’s interest in solutions found at the UK’s deep-water ports away from the Southeast of England, with increasing focus shifting to East Coast ports - Hull, Immingham, Grimsby, Goole and Teesport.
Through our existing presence in Hull, Dewsbury, Barnsley, Rotherham and Goole, we already deliver our full supply chain offering and substantial fleet of owned trucks and trailers into the region and have serviced some of Yorkshire's major businesses over the past two decades, from producers of print, packaging, construction materials, FMCG, paper suppliers and engineering.
With over 91% of the UK’s mainland population accessible within a four-hour drive and the UK’s four major container ports located within four hours from iPort, its dedicated intermodal freight exchange onsite and Doncaster Sheffield Airport just four miles away capable of accommodating the biggest air freight carriers, the new Doncaster facility offers unparalleled access to our clients interested in servicing the UK and overseas markets while cutting cost and carbon.
Kevin Stevens, CEO of Woodland Group, commented: “Our new Doncaster site represents our great commitment to Yorkshire and the surrounding area and our continued investment into environmental supply chain solutions to aid our clients in cutting cost and carbon footprint. Its fantastic location makes it an ideal international hub plugging into our global supply chain offering as well as a solid addition to our full domestic operations through our own sites and equipment across the UK.”
“We’re proud to be joining iPort at this important time. The site is also part of the ambitious bid for a new freeport to make South Yorkshire the largest advanced manufacturing hub in Europe with the aim of creating 28,700 new jobs, adding £169m to the South Yorkshire economy every year, and boosting imports by £306m and exports by £410m. Our Doncaster facility boasts state-of-the-art technology and our full digital offering alongside its conscious and innovative solutions to domestic and international fulfilment and distribution, thus offering both UK and overseas clients full access to the vast opportunities emerging in the UK and surrounding markets post Brexit.”, Stevens added.
