Tibbett Logistics expands intermodal terminal in Bucharest
After six years of developing intermodal operations, Tibbett Logistics, the Romania-based transport and contract logistics specialist within The Keswick Enterprises Group, announces that this summer it will be making a six-figure EUR investment to enhance its open-access Bucharest International Rail Freight Terminal (BIRFT).
The development follows a 36%-increase in freight volumes handled through the terminal in 2016. Tibbett Logistics projects further volume growth of up to 30 percent this year among established key clients – with a major German multinational retailer already adding substantial increases in container volumes in the first quarter.
Tibbett Logistics’ investments include the acquisition of a third Kalmar/Cargotec mobile container handler, plus satellite tracking for all mobile handling equipment in the terminal – yielding further efficiency improvements. Tibbett Logistics have advanced plans for the phase-three extension of the terminal platform later this year. This will add another 10 000 m² of storage, mainly for empty containers, increasing BIRFT’s capacity and handling efficiency.
The principal driver of BIRFT’s recent growth has been imports of maritime containers through the Port of Constanta on Romania’s Black Sea coast. These contain primarily general merchandise for the retail sector plus parts and raw materials for automotive Tier 1–3 companies producing components in Romania for global car and truck manufacturers.
Around 30 percent of the containers were shipped and unloaded for QC checking, repacking and storage in Tibbett Logistics’ own warehouses serving the automotive, retail and FMCG sectors in Romania. Remaining volumes were delivered to end-users, other logistics service providers and factories. The increasing volumes at BIRFT have led Tibbett Logistics to raise its block train frequency to five a week in the final quarter of 2016 – a level that is being maintained in 2017.
Tibbett Logistics’ CEO, David Goldsborough, said: “The addition of the third Kalmar reachstacker at BIRFT and the extension of the terminal platform – both coming online this summer – are further signs of our commitment to the Romanian marketplace, and specifically the development of intermodal road-rail transport services. We continue to grow at an impressive rate year-on-year through the addition of new customers and from the growth in volumes of existing customers – confirmation of the reliability and efficiency of our services.”
Tibbett Logistics specialises in providing intermodal logistics and extensive supply chain management services to the automotive, DIY, food & grocery, textiles, retail and other FMCG sectors across Romania and elsewhere in South East Europe. In addition to operating a total of over 100,000 m² of warehousing at 13 locations and employing 1,250 FTEs (full time equivalents), the company has a distribution fleet comprising tilt trailers, double- and triple-chamber reefers and container chassis – along with its own intermodal rail wagons.