Just two years after flash-flooding caused devastation to their depot, Lancaster-based logistics firm Kidds Transport has transformed their site as part of a major £1m investment.
Kidds Transport, a member of Palletways, Europe’s largest and fastest growing express palletised freight network, provides haulage services for many major manufacturers in the Lancaster area. The firm covers some 20,000 miles per week and handles more than 1,300 pallets every day.
Back in December 2015, Kidds Transport faced disruption to services when Storm Desmond wreaked havoc across parts of the UK, causing around £500m worth of damage. When the nearby River Lune broke its banks on 5 December, it didn’t take long for the site on Canton Road to be breached.
The site was left in ruins, with some parts under 3m of water. When the water receded two days later, the firm had already lost around 8,000 tons of stock in the warehouse and written off over 100 vehicles, including their entire Palletways and fork-lift fleets. Any facilities that hadn’t been wiped out or washed away in the storm were also deemed inoperable, including the on-site workshop and offices.
With the depot unfit for purpose, directors at Kidds Transport decided to rebuild the entire building in June 2016. The new depot, which was completed earlier this year, has been designed to help withstand harsher weathers.
While old office buildings were single storey, the new-build block stands at three storeys high and is built onto stilts to ensure the lower level areas are more resilient to flooding. Further improvements to flood barriers and walls are due to be installed by the City council and Environment Agency.
Simon Park, managing director at Kidds Transport, said: “It’s definitely been a big year for us at Kidds Transport! With the depot completed in February and our 65th anniversary in August, it feels like we’ve entered a new era. We’re always keen to embrace a challenge, but we’re thrilled with the new facilities and are definitely more prepared for the future than we were on that dreadful morning in December 2015.”
Barry Byers, Palletways’ network director, added: “We are delighted Kidds Transport are now firmly settled at their new premises. The company made giant strides in 2017 and we’re excited for the next phase of growth with this move.”
Kidds Transport is a member of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), is FORS accredited and a member of the United Kingdom Warehouse Association (UKWA).
Kidds Transport is one of over 110 independent transport providers that are part of the Palletways UK network. They benefit from shared expertise and resources from within the group to deliver consignments of palletised freight to market faster and more cost effectively than ever before. The Palletways Group comprises 400 depots and 17 hub operations, through which it provides collection and distribution services across 20 European countries, including the UK.
