“Inspirational” Solent Stevedores wins RFG’s Business of the Year award
Solent Stevedores has been named Business of the Year at the annual Rail Freight Group (RFG) Awards, held on 7 September at Shendish Manor Hotel, Apsley.
The RFG Awards recognise the hard work and achievements of companies, teams and individuals working right across the UK’s rail freight sector.
The judges were impressed by the company’s commitment to its long-term investments and entrepreneurial spirit and commended Solent Stevedores for the risks it had taken to steer the drive for rail freight growth at the Port of Southampton, attracting new services and leading a significant shift from road to rail at the port.
They said: “The company’s £17.5m investment in a revamped rail terminal has involved lengthening and redesigning track and developing 12 acres of laden container storage space. This is the third major investment in the terminal in the last ten years and it has already increased daily capacity from five to eight rail freight services. This is now set to rise to 12 a day by the end of the year.”
The judges added that Solent Stevedores has been inspirational in Southampton’s ongoing success story. The development of the new rail terminal involved significant construction works and realignment and extension of track, all carried out while ensuring continuity of the expanding number of rail services its investment was generating.
“Working in partnership with ABP at Southampton, Solent Stevedores has been a model for driving rail freight growth,” they added.
On the night, Solent Stevedores also won RFG’s ‘Driving Rail Freight Growth’ award.
Maggie Simpson OBE, Director General, Rail Freight Group, said: “The rail freight sector needs companies like Solent Stevedoes, active and innovative players that are prepared to continually invest in making modal shift a reality. We all know that the UK needs to move more goods away from our congested road network and onto the railway and Solent Stevedores is one company acting to make the future of sustainable transport happen.
“A huge thank you to all of our winners and runners-up. Thank you to everyone who attended our dinner itself and helped make it another fantastic success.”
The awards dinner was sponsored by RFG members Burges Salmon and GB Railfreight and as always was hosted by Simon Coppen (from Burges Salmon - pictured far left) and John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight (GBRf) (right).
On the night, other award winners were:
- Driving Rail Freight Growth
Winner: Solent Stevedores
Runner Up: Porterbrook, Greenbrier and GB Railfreight - Sustainability & Safety Winner:
GB Railfreight
Runner Up: Eco2Loco - Railfreight Project of the Year
Winner: Fishbone and Partners
Runner Up: Fox Group, Tarmac and Freightliner - Outstanding Individual Contribution
Winner: Paul Lugg, VTG Rail - Young Rail Freight Professional
Winner: Izzy Glancey, Victa Railfreight
Runner Up: Molly Cooke, DRS
Runner Up: Connor Murrells, GBRTT