MULTIMODAL
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Trains are accounting for a greater slice of journeys despite most UK drinks logistics firms still being roadbased due to short distances and even shorter lead times. Stobart, which was recently credited with boosting AG Barr’s profit, is one exception: it runs Irn Bru as backloads on its Tesco trains.
Graeme Undy, general manager for rail at Stobart, says: “We offer spare capacity on the Tesco trains to its premium suppliers and our premium customers. It’s effectively a pay-as-you-go service.” Drinks manufacturers, such as Coca-Cola and AG Barr, send product from East Kilbride and Cumbernauld respectively down to the Midlands. “We move 15-25 loads a week like this,” says Undy. “If they run a store promotion, they will book more spaces on the train.
“We are as effective as road on the day one for day two deliveries,” says Undy. “Where rail can’t compete is the same-day requirements.” JF Hillebrand, which specialises in moving imported wine, and does so mostly by road, recently put on a second ‘wine train’ to transport bulk wine in specialist Flexitainer tanks from three South-East ports into Europe’s largest bottling plant in Bristol. It carries the equivalent of 9.3 million bottles of wine each week.
However, the company admits that establishing such a service is far from easy, and before the launch of its first wine train from Tilbury to Daventry, there was no existing freight service operating on this route.