By using the new shipping port, which opens in Q4 2013, the company will reduce its UK road transport needs, saving carbon emissions and thousands of road miles every year.
The UK currently exports over ten million tonnes of paper for recycling every year, which is then turned into items such as cardboard, shoe boxes and beer boxes. Cycle Link UK manages paper recycling exports to its own paper mills in China. By exporting from London Gateway, Cyclelink UK will be able to make substantial supply chain efficiencies, as the new deep-water container port is closer to their main collection points than other ports.
Gary Waters, Shipping Manager for Cycle Link UK, said: “As a recycling company, our commitment to the environment is embedded in our culture. When we visited London Gateway, we immediately recognised the potential to make our business more sustainable by reducing our road transport needs. We export around a thousand containers every week, so anything we can do to reduce road haulage and its environmental impact is a good thing.”
He continued, “We are all about customer care, and recognising the benefits of London Gateway’s location is one example of how we can help our customers to reduce their own environmental impact.”
Cycle Link’s paper mill in Zhapu, near Shanghai, manages 3 million tonnes of recycled paper every year and is expected to grow to over 5 million by 2015.
Commenting on what will become Europe’s largest logistics park Patrick Lee, Managing Director, Cycle Link UK, said: “We will be delighted to offer our services to those customers who establish themselves at the new London Gateway logistics park, as it will only help them too, to become more sustainable. We see significant opportunity to grow our business and we are ahead of the pack.”
Charles Meaby, London Gateway’s Commercial Director, said: “It’s fantastic to know that Cycle Link will become a more sustainable company when we start operations next year. London Gateway offers a unique location for many types of importers and exporters to reduce their carbon emissions as they simply will not have to travel as far to reach their port. It’s closer, more efficient and more sustainable from London Gateway.”
When fully developed London Gateway will provide the UK with a new global shipping port as well as Europe’s largest logistics park covering over 2 square miles of land. Major construction started on the vast site in 2010 and the port opens in Q4 2013.