The commissioning of SCA Timber Supply’s new 25,000m2 storage facility at the port of Hull forms an integral part of plans to build its presence in the UK.
This was the company’s message to around 90 guests – a mix of customers, suppliers and representatives of industry organisations – at the official unveiling of the new operation, comprising 15,000m2 of warehousing and 10,000m2 of external storage at Hull’s King George Dock.
The new bulk stock facility replaces the company’s Grove Wharf storage at Hull, with transfer from the latter expected to be completed in a matter of weeks.
The King George Dock is not tidal and will allow SCA to use larger vessels for its weekly Hull delivery from Sweden.
According to Magnus Svensson, president of the company’s logistics arm SCA Transforest, this would produce a range of benefits.
“It will mean reduced delivery schedules and shorter lead times,” he said. “There are also environmental benefits with the larger vessels carrying greater loads without increasing emissions or fuel consumption.”
The development of the operation follows a £1.6m spend by SCA at Stoke on planing and product assembly facilities and a labelling and polywrap line.
At the warehouse unveiling president Ulf Larsson said that the latest moves underlined SCA Timber Supply’s ambition to increase its UK business and create long-term partnerships with customers.
“We’re now an integrated part of customers’ businesses; our mills operate like their own dedicated facilities,” he said.
The company’s commitment to the UK market, he added, was underlined by its provision of training services for customers’ staff and its programme for helping them achieve environmental chain of custody certification, for which it won this year’s TTJ Environmental Achievement Award.
Following on from the opening of the King George Dock facility, SCA Timber Supply promises further developments in its service in the UK. According to sales director Stephen King, these will include closer integration with customers’ IT systems to achieve further improvements in delivery efficiency and order tracking.
