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Stobart Group pioneers the first fully refrigerated train service from Spain

STOBART GROUP PIONEERS LOWER CARBON FRESH ‘FRUIT AND VEG’ WITH THE ARRIVAL IN THE UK OF THE FIRST FULLY REFRIGERATED TRAIN SERVICE FROM SPAIN

London, England 30 October 2009 – At 00.00am today history was made when the new Stobart Rail train service exited Eurotunnel and arrived in Britain on schedule after a 1,100 mile journey from Valencia. The new weekly service, in conjunction with rail operator DB Schenker, provides for the first time a low carbon alternative for retailers and consumers, for the import of fresh Spanish produce.

The pioneering rail service from Valencia to the Ford Dagenham railhead features a number of firsts in the industry and generates significant environmental savings over the normal route to market by road:

Key facts on the new Stobart Rail, Valencia to Dagenham Service:

  • Longest train journey in Europe by a single operator
  • First fully refrigerated train service to go through Eurotunnel>
  • Reduction of 13.7 million kilometres of road journeys per year
  • Reduction in CO2 emissions of 8,625 tonnes annually
  • Faster journey time than by road with corresponding improvement in produce “shelf life”
  • Each refrigerated container is monitored remotely by Stobart from “pack-house to customer” to ensure the temperature is precisely controlled and the produce arrives on time and in optimum condition
  • For the first time retailers and consumers have a faster and lower carbon alternative for the import of “fruit and veg” from Spain
On the return journey to Spain the train will be full of pallets being carried for CHEP, ensuring there is not an empty journey. This is consistent with Stobart Group’s philosophy to take waste out of the supply chain at every level. It is the same philosophy that enables the Eddie Stobart truck fleet to run with full loads 84 per cent of the time compared to the industry average of 70 per cent.

“We believe this service represents a real breakthrough. For the first time, supermarkets and consumers have a quicker and much lower carbon alternative to importing fresh fruit and veg from Spain by road,” said Andrew Tinkler, CEO of Stobart Group.

He added: “In conjunction with our partner DB Schenker, we will start the new service with one train per week but we believe that when our customers see the benefits we will soon be able to develop this into a daily service, increasing the efficiencies and environmental benefits by a factor of five.”

William Stobart, COO of Stobart Group, added: “We are also actively investigating the opportunity to extend the train service from the current terminal in Dagenham through the UK to our multi-modal terminal at Widnes, which is the ideal hub for distribution into the heartland of the UK.

“An extension of the train to this facility would take even more trucks off Britain’s crowded road network and make the total carbon saving for the transport of oranges, lemons and other Spanish fruit and veg even greater. At Widnes we also have extensive chilled warehouse and distribution facilities, adding further synergies and all part of our multi modal logistics offering to Stobart customers,” he said.

The Stobart Group, which is perhaps best known for its iconic Eddie Stobart truck fleet, complete with its own spotters and supporters club, is rapidly becoming the UK’s leading provider of multimodal logistics solutions with integrated road, rail, sea and air businesses. This ground breaking new rail service builds on recent announcements by Stobart Group which have seen innovations in modal shift in the UK from road to rail and numerous schemes to reduce waste and emissions in all aspects of the supply chain.

www.eddiestobart.co.uk



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