The strategic acquisition of a 7,000 sq m cross dock warehouse just a 10 minute walk from its existing state-of-the-art distribution centre at Coleshill, Birmingham gives Davies Turner ' the UK's leading independent freight forwarder ' increased capacity to handle its growing European and oceanfreight consolidation services.

The new platform has 40 loading doors, similar to the Phase 1 warehouse at the company's Dartford freight hub, but has more floor-space and greater eaves height, which could in the medium term facilitate the construction of a mezzanine floor to double the present operational area, says Philip Stephenson, group chairman at Davies Turner.

He adds: 'The mezzanine would also enable us to handle fast-moving Internet fulfilment for which the central Midlands location is ideal. The new terminal is close to our existing Coleshill premises, which will now be free to concentrate entirely on logistics, supply chain management and project forwarding. Such is the growth in customer demand that I can see all our warehouses soon being quite full again despite this new freehold acquisition.'

The 6.3 acre (2.55 hectare) site allows for future expansion, notes Stephenson, and is conveniently situated within a few hundred metres of the Hams Hall Rail Terminal, which Davies Turner already uses for moving deep-sea containers to and from the ports.

Stephenson adds: 'We also need the new depot to handle our fast-growing European groupage traffic, even though our Dartford gateway hub is already working 24/7. Our sales effort is gearing up for another increase in throughput, which we anticipate in markets such as Germany and Central Europe.

'We have an even wider range of multimodal services to offer exporters based in the Midlands or to overseas partners, customers and importers now that we have added this new facility to our network.'

The property is equipped with powered dock-levellers throughout. It has just been completely refurbished and is in excellent condition.

'The cross dock is purpose-built to handle fast-moving consignments for our daily services to continental markets. It is also well placed to operate our ocean freight consolidations for North America and Asia, as well as Southern Africa and the Middle/Far East.'

Concludes Stephenson: 'Over the last few years, we have pressed on with these counter-cyclical investments in regional distribution centres and have further developed our overnight transport network covering Britain and Ireland nationwide. The acquisition of this versatile Hams Hall depot which will work in conjunction with our nearby Coleshill hub and also our Birmingham air cargo branch, will enable us to continue expanding our freight forwarding and logistics as well as our consolidation services.

'The cost of purchase was financed from our own reserves and the development will complement our RDCs at Bristol, Dartford, Dublin, Glasgow, Heathrow and Manchester, as well as our network of local satellite branches throughout the UK. The new premises will be fully commissioned and open for business by the end of the month.'