PD Ports adds steel to operations with multi-million pound expansion

A North East-headquartered port operator has strengthened its domestic operations with a multi-million pound warehouse expansion alongside a steel trader.

PD Ports is working with long-standing customer All Steels Trading on the investment at Groveport.

The company says the new long-term contract represents the largest single investment in the last decade at Groveport, in Scunthorpe, as PD Ports seeks to support its growing reputation for handling long steel products.

Construction on the new six-month build programme, which offers direct quay access, started in March and will see All Steels Trading’s footprint at Groveport expand from 166,000sq ft to more than 300,000sq ft.

Once operational, PD Ports’ team will handle, store and prepare the steel trader’s products, ensuring they are available on demand.

Geoff Lippitt, group business development director at PD Ports, whose head office is in Middlesbrough, said: “We are incredibly proud to have further strengthened our long-standing relationship with All Steels Trading as UK port of choice beyond 2035.

“The length of the contract with All Steels Trading shows a true partnership and demonstrates the trust and confidence the company has in our market knowledge and our ability to understand as well as respond to their needs.

“We have seen transformational change in the global steel industry in recent years, which has brought challenges but also real opportunity for some of our customers, and we are continuing to invest and support that customer growth.”

Laurence McDougall, All Steels Trading managing director, added: “PD Ports understands what we need to keep our customers on track – it is an invaluable partnership.

“We often have to respond quickly to fluctuations in demand and knowing we can rely on PD Ports to handle, store and have our steel products available on demand adds real strength to our customer offer in terms of efficiency and value for money.”