Port operator spells out exciting expansion plans
Growth plans – AV Dawson property and legal director Gareth Jones.
From its humble roots on Emmerson Street in Middlesbrough to becoming a flagship port located on the River Tees, AV Dawson – owner and operator of Port of Middlesbrough – has come a long way from the firm it once was.
There is no denying the port operator and multimodal logistics firm has seen major changes in its 85-year history and is set for further growth.
Its ever-expanding port has seen a huge amount of development over the last two years, from acquiring multiple plots of neighbouring land to extending its quayside and deepening its berths to accommodate larger vessels. It has definitely been an exciting period for the Middlesbrough company.
Diversifying and adapting to change has always been a part of the business’ DNA and it has played a big part in how the company has evolved over the years.
The firm prides itself on being versatile and has had to adjust to many changes throughout its history, including industrial, social, economic and environmental factors.
Bird’s eye view – a drone shot of the Cobra and surrounding sites.
Fast forward to 2023 and the business is now a multi-million-pound logistics and port operator, owning three subsidiary businesses – AV Dawson Transport, AVD Industrial & Port Services and Cockfield Knight. A fourth business, Port of Middlesbrough, due to launch in October, will be the final subsidiary in a new group structure for AV Dawson.
The port is also the Northern European base for a world-leading offshore cable manufacturer, and houses 35 tenants from various sectors at its 115-acre base.
AV Dawson’s property and legal director, Gareth Jones, said: “We have a strong history of diversifying which is still demonstrated to this present day.
“As a business, we feel it’s important that we honour the past and the hard work previous colleagues have done to get the business to where it is today and to protect and build upon their accomplishments.
“From acquiring new pieces of land to building new premises and investing in the latest equipment, we are continually looking at ways we can progress and be the best we can be.
Acquisitions – The company’s sites now total 115 acres.
“We are also coming to the end of a four-year plan to develop the business’ group structure. This structure allows different areas of the business to function in their own right and gives them more autonomy to make key decisions while utilising the wider business’ shared services, including HR, marketing and health and safety.
“We are a hugely resourceful company – we always have been – and can make quick decisions and make things happen, not just internally but with customers too.”
More recent developments include the acquisition of two new sites, extending the firms’ land to 115 acres, both of which are part of Teesside Freeport areas. Just before this, in 2022, the business also acquired dry bulk business Cobra Middlesbrough, which operates on a seven-acre rail facility adjacent to Port of Middlesbrough.
Gareth continued: “The expansion of our footprint on Riverside Park will allow us to attract new customers as we reach capacity at our Port of Middlesbrough base, but also gives us the opportunity to unlock the benefits of our freeport status. As a secondary customs zone in the Teesside Freeport, we are currently exploring how the freeport benefits can assist our current tenants and potential new customers. We’re attracting key players to Teesside and these businesses are moving to larger vessels, so we need to continue to adapt to support their needs.
“Larger vessels often means larger space requirements to store the cargo. Our freeport sites can be developed to include warehousing storage, laydown areas or manufacturing facilities – the possibilities are endless.”
Dry bulk – AV Dawson acquired Cobra Middlesbrough last year.
Beyond its own Middlesbrough site, the business also offers a number of logistics services on third party sites. Through its subsidiary business, AVD Industrial & Port Services, it provides a range of services on customers’ own sites, from stevedoring and shunting to a complete end-to-end logistics service.
Gareth continued: “The business’ strategy was always to be a Middlesbrough-based company so we have chosen to stay in the area, invest, grow, develop and expand. Our roots have always been in the town and as we grow, this will help bring prosperity to the area and well-paid jobs for local people.
“However, we have extensive expertise in the port and logistics sector, so the strategy behind our independent port and logistics business is to integrate our teams onto our customers’ sites to help streamline operations and add value.”
The exciting addition of Cobra Middlesbrough will allow the logistics firm to unlock new rail opportunities. Gareth added: “The acquisition of Cobra Middlesbrough is particularly important to us because of its fantastic rail connectivity and will allow us to expand and diversify in certain markets, especially in the bulks and aggregates sectors.
“Rail is typically the greener way to transport cargo and we are continually working with more of our customers to help them identify opportunities to transition from road to rail, so we need to ensure we have the capacity to accommodate their requirements.
“This is a huge focus for us as a business, as we look to put our net zero strategy into action with the ultimate aim to become carbon neutral, and we see rail as a big opportunity to help us and our customers achieve this.”
Being proudly part of the Teesside Freeport, the UK’s first and largest freeport, the business is looking forward to the future and what opportunities it will bring.
Gareth concluded: “The future looks exciting for businesses in Teesside, particularly as a business that is part of the Teesside Freeport. With all the developments in the region right now, we see massive prospects for the river community.
“Being the UK’s first freeport is a real advantage and we need to make the most of this and keep the momentum going.”
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