TruckandTrackSpring2019.indd

20 / 88

Truck and Track Spring 2019 20
BUSINESS NEWS
Three years after it first opened, Europa Worldwide Group,
has invested £2,000,000 into a reconfiguration programme
at its 1Hub in Dartford as part of its preparation for Brexit.
The development was already part of the leading logistics
supplier’s long-termstrategy to expand the site as the company
experienced growth, but with Brexit fast approaching, the
European Road transit hub work has been advanced.
Europa’s £30million 1Hub is the company’s largest single
investment in its history – centralising its European road freight to
create the UK’s largest European groupage hub. The building is split
into two areas, providing third party warehousing and European
transit shed operations.
The new investment to further develop the 26,368m² facility,
which is big enough to house seven football pitches, focuses on the
European Road transit hub. The reconfiguration includes a staged
expansion of the racking and an extension of the transit zone,
creating 75 per cent more racked transit space.
Dan Cook, Operations Director for Europa, comments: “When
we originally designed the building in 2015, we included plans
to expand the site. Due to the current political situation, we’ve
now decided to speed up the re-development, specifically of the
European transit hub area, to ensure we can continue to deliver an
efficient, quality service for our customers.”
With an increase in short-term storage space required, the racking
footprint within the site is expanding across both ground level and
vertically, creating extra space for its European Road customers.
Since its launch, 1Hub has increased the number of its European
consignments by 64 per cent, from 22,000 to 36,000 per month.
Dan Cook continues: “The strategy to expand capacity at our 1Hub
facility will create more space for freight that may become slowed
down by the clearance process and also provide security against
gridlock of volume post Brexit. It is just one of the many ways in
which we are preparing for all possible outcomes.”
Further benefits include an increase in the number of level access
canopy doors and loading docks, increasing speed and efficiency
across the company.
The reconfiguration was an intricate operation, taking three
months to complete. In order to facilitate the extension, the racking
had to be dismantled and re-fitted. To avoid any disruption during
this period, operations were closely monitored.
When launched, Europa’s 1Hub centralised the company’s
European road freight, with a network of 13 regional branches
trunking directly into the hub. A huge success, the facility has
improved efficiencies, increased payloads, driven down overseas
distribution costs and built daily services to its European partner
depots to reduce transit times and improve quality.
Europa Worldwide Group is a specialist road, air & sea, warehouse
and showfreight operator employing more than 900 people across
16 sites in the UK, as well as Hong Kong, Czech Republic and
Belgium, and with representation in 100 countries.
Europa’s major investment in 1Hub
£2m improvements in preparation for Brexit
LOADS MORE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
01543 420 121