DP World’s London Gateway Logistics Park continues growth with Kent Foods deal
LONDON : DP World and Kent Foods, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of foodstuffs, have signed a deal in excess of £20m to establish a new storage facility at London Gateway Logistics Park. Under the 10-year lease agreement, Kent Foods – a part of The Albex Group – will occupy a 150,000 sq. ft warehouse to store food products arriving at London Gateway’s state-of-the-art container port before being distributed throughout the UK by rail and road. Kent Foods took occupation on 27th February.
Construction was completed last year, and temperature-controlled freezer units have now been installed to accommodate a wide array of goods, including chocolate, sugar and cooking oils. The warehouse has been built to the highest sustainability standards, having been awarded both a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ and EPC ‘A’ rating. Alan Holland, Chief Executive Officer of London Gateway Logistics Park, said: “We are delighted to welcome Kent Foods as our newest customer to London Gateway Logistics Park, marking yet another key growth milestone for our operations and for DP World in the UK. Kent Foods will be able to leverage the full financial benefits of Thames Freeport and London Gateway’s rail terminal and extensive road links. We are going from strength to strength as customers continue to choose DP World and our well-connected site on the Thames Estuary as the best place to support their supply chain journeys and UK-wide commercial operations.”
Maciej Szczygiel, Managing Director for the South East Region at Albex Logistics, said: “Kent Foods are excited to take entry into their new logistics centre at London Gateway Logistics Park, which will be managed for them by fellow Albex Group member, Albex Logistics South East. The industry-leading facilities at this port-centric location will enable Kent Foods to further improve their service to UK food manufacturers by reducing port-to-production timelines for imported raw materials and speeding up the export of finished foodstuffs around the globe.”
Michael Dalglish, Albex Group Operations Director, added: “Kent Foods and Albex Logistics are fully focused on delivering innovative, sustainable, and efficient solutions for the food industry. This facility at London Gateway is yet another major contribution to this objective.” Located within Thames Freeport, a special economic zone designed to boost trade and investment, Kent Food’s new storage facility will benefit from the hub’s strategic location. The Freeport offers direct access to London and the Southeast consumer market while providing businesses with financial incentives, including employer National Insurance savings and capital allowances on investments.
Global real estate advisor Avison Young represented Kent Foods throughout the acquisition. In addition to its hubs at Southampton and London Gateway, DP World’s end-to-end solutions include logistics, forwarding and European transport capabilities, all seamlessly integrated into the company’s global network. Operating in 78 countries, DP World handles 10 per cent of global containerised trade, driving supply chain efficiency worldwide.
About DP World
DP World is reshaping the future of global trade to improve lives everywhere. Operating across six continents with a team of over 100,000 employees, we combine global infrastructure and local expertise to deliver seamless supply chain solutions.
From Ports and Terminals to Marine Services, Logistics and Technology, we leverage innovation to create better ways to trade, minimizing disruptions from the factory floor to the customer’s door.
DP World has invested more than £5bn into the UK to build a unique network of assets and services to help businesses meet their national and international end-to-end supply chain challenges. Now the UK’s leading port operator with two deep-sea terminals at London Gateway and Southampton, a flourishing contracting logistics business, a dedicated customs clearance technology provider, and a major ferry operator, the diversity and breadth of our supply chain capabilities are unmatched.