- Newly opened Port Salford facility has allowed General Mills to transport 80% of volume via canal –
- Two Peel Ports staff also shortlisted in student of the year category-
General Mills UK and Culina have scooped the Warehouse Operations Award at the CILT (Chartered Institute for Logistics and Transport) Annual Awards for Excellence.
The event on Thursday 27 October was held at London’s Lancaster Hotel and featured some of the biggest names in the UK logistics and transport sector.
Neil Pilkington and Andy Wells of Peel Ports were also shortlisted in the student of the year category.
Operating from Port Salford, a multimodal warehouse distribution centre to the west of Manchester accessible by road, canal and rail, General Mills currently routes 80% of its volume by canal. The company is responsible for a range of market-leading brands including Old El Paso, Green Giant, Betty Crocker and Nature Valley,
Since opening in April 2016, the site has acted as a central hub for General Mills’ ambient brands arriving by short sea freight from Europe. The company expects to save 600,000 road haulage miles each year whilst providing a “future proof” solution to market trends.
General Mills is currently the anchor client of food and drink logistics giant Culina Group, which took occupation of a 280,000 sq ft (26,000 sq m) unit at Port Salford. Port Salford is being developed by the Peel Ports’ sister company Peel Land and Property.
David Huck, Port Director at Peel Ports, said: “Since we welcomed Culina Group and General Mills to Port Salford their commitment to seeing the multimodal warehousing project succeed has been unwavering. Their presence as market leaders has acted as a catalyst to attract more logistics providers and their clients to the area. Port Salford offers significant advantages to companies exporting to the UK, especially those with goods arriving at the Port of Liverpool. An integrated supply chain, close to their end destinations, will help them ship their cargo quicker and more directly to customers in the commercial heartland of the UK.”
Steve Winwood, CEO of Culina Logistics, a division of Culina Group added: “The CILT awards are always a great occasion and we’re very proud to have been recognised for our part in this venture. We’re looking at the long term with this cutting-edge facility. Port Salford really is taking a revolutionary approach to logistics in the UK and it is an exciting time for our whole team.”
General Mills UK Supply Chain Director, Dave Howorth said: “Our distribution agreement with Culina reinforces our commitment as a company that is focussed on finding solutions that are best for customers, consumers and the environment. We’re honoured to have received this award and thank the judges for selecting the Port Salford partnership.”
Port Salford offers water connectivity provided by the Manchester Ship Canal via Liverpool, is within 2 miles of both the M60 and M62 motorways and offers rail connectivity to the West Coast Mainline via Chat Moss, thereby avoiding Manchester Piccadilly.
Port Salford is a £138m investment to create 148,000 sq m of warehousing and 280 jobs, and an integral part of the Atlantic Gateway project being led by Peel Ports. The project involves the redevelopment of the port and canal network and surrounding land between Manchester and Liverpool.