Ellesmere Port’s waterfront has seen a £700,000 investment.

Quality Freight UK, a global freight forwarding firm over land, sea and air, has ‘significantly increased’ its cranage capability at its Manisty Wharf operation.

The company has invested more than £700,000 in acquiring a new wheeled crane from German specialists Fuchs based near Hamburg.

The latest addition complements Quality Freight’s fleet of cranes and is capable of handling over 400 metric tons an hour of cargoes.

Managing director Sebastian Gardiner said: “This significant further investment in the business will achieve a number of objectives.

Ellesmere Port firm Quality Freight has invested more than £700,000 in a new crane
Ellesmere Port firm Quality Freight has invested more than £700,000 in a new crane

“It will allow us to increase bulk volumes in the port, allow multi-vessel working and enhance customer service through faster vessel turnaround.

“We have seen volumes increase by over 20% during the past 12 months and are extremely confident about business prospects moving into 2018.

“Adding this new Fuchs crane to our fleet was therefore a natural next step increasing cranage at Ellesmere Port and future proofing Quality Freight UK’s handling capabilities.”

The investment also enables the company to maximise the usage of its mobile cranes at client’s sites.

The company has two cranes which are regularly moved at short notice to locations across the north west of England including loading bulk ships from the INEOS terminal in Runcorn.

A spokesman for rail freight operator DB Cargo, which has used a Quality Freight crane to discharge trains in St Helens, said: “The adaptability provided by using the Quality Freight mobile crane service has allowed us to deliver business we would otherwise not have been able to service.”

Ellesmere Port firm Quality Freight has invested more than £700,000 in a new crane
Ellesmere Port firm Quality Freight has invested more than £700,000 in a new crane

The new mobile crane service forms part of the total logistics operation provided by the company which has the ability to offer clients support across sea, road, rail and air.

Mr Gardiner said: “Some companies are tapping into our mobile crane capability as a standalone service while others are choosing to integrate it as part of a much wider logistics solution.”

In addition to its 40-acre multi-modal site in Ellesmere Port the QF Group has bases in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Knock, Hull, Chatham and Rotterdam.