EXPANDING exports of woodchips from Southampton docks have prompted Solent Stevedores to invest £100,000 on building a concrete pad to store it before shipping.
The 2,500 square metre pad is expected to be in full operation within the next few weeks at 108 Berth in the Western Docks.
It follows the signing of a deal with Dorset organics recycling company Eco Sustainable Solutions to handle more than 100,000 tonnes of wood chip over the next three years.
The wood chip, which previously would have gone to landfill, is instead shipped to Sweden where it is used in paper mills and for power generation.
The concrete pad is the latest investment by Solent Stevedores which employs 60 people and has a £10m turnover.
The company recently spent £30,000 on specialist lifting gear which will be used for a variety of products from brewery silos to yachts. It has also just taken delivery of a third £3m Gottwald harbourside crane.
Ian Jacobs, general manager, said: “We’ve forged a strong business relationship with Eco with wood chips becoming an important new business stream for us.”
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