Packer sees metering equipment safely to Nigeria

Sep 17 2007 By The Journal

A LEADING North-East export packing company, has teamed up with one of the UK’s major equipment specialists.

Stadium Packing Services was approached by Skeltonhall Systems, a prime supplier of flow measurement systems to the oil and gas industries, to provide a comprehensive packing, storage and shipping service for one of their major contracts being exported to Nigeria.

Brian Smith, general manager of Stadium, said: “The metering system offered many challenges, particularly the sheer volume of the items to be fully cased and shipped. One typical item was almost two storeys high and weighed 50 tonnes.

"We therefore moved the entire project from Teesside to our facility in Gateshead to ensure complete control over the challenges we faced.”

The logistics of moving and handling this size of equipment needed to be carefully organised to guarantee the safe arrival to site in Nigeria.

Mr Smith said: “Sailings to Port Harcourt in Nigeria can sometimes be erratic, therefore good communication throughout the supply chain was essential to keep the project on time whilst ensuring costs were strictly controlled.”

Justin Hall, director of Skeltonhall Systems, said: “We were recommended Stadium Packing Services as a company that could provide a solution for the movement, packing, storage and overseas shipment of this unusually large gas measurement system.

"The system is around 100ft long once fully assembled and weighs around 135 tonnes. We had to split it into several sections, each of which was still large by any standards.
"Stadium provided an excellent seamless service right through from collection from our works to delivery in Nigeria.”

Stadium Packing has recently added to the existing 40,000 square feet of manufacturing space currently available to accommodate further expansion into the storage and military packaging markets.

It has also invested in two new vehicles to provide greater flexibility when moving customers' products and to support its continued expansion in off-site packing services throughout the North-East.

Stuart Embleton, production manager at Stadium, said: “We have added a 17-tonne, curtain sided vehicle with a fully retractable roof to allow loading and unloading via overhead cranes or forklifts.

A new smaller 3-tonne vehicle has also been added to the fleet for general deliveries and collections.”

Stadium Packing is clearly benefiting from a business strategy that puts service first, whilst maintaining a competitive approach through investment, training and working practices.

Mr Embleton added: “Our customers expect a quality product and service so our business approach reflects this expectation. When exporting oversees, the first thing a customer sees is the packaging.

"If sufficient attention is given to the packing of the product for it to arrive safely, in a case or crate fit for purpose, then this would further reassure the customer that similar care and attention had been given to the item during the manufacturing process.

“Recent investment in computerised stencilling equipment has further enhanced the appearance of our product.”

The full range of services and products supplied by Stadium can be seen on its website: www.stadiumpacking.co.uk.