Expanding its distribution network, the base on the Kingstown Industrial Estate will increase the firm’s fuel storage capacity by more than 40%.
The firm will move some of its existing tanker fleet to the new supply location, providing easy access to the major road network, and improving service to customers in southern Scotland.
Investment
Steve Hindmarsh, General Manager of Allan Stobart Lubricants & Fuels, said the business was “responding to a changing marketplace” by reopening the site which has been rented out for vehicle storage for several years. Its reinstatement as a fuel depot includes the installation of new fuel storage tanks as well as onsite office space.
“The investment in this site will help us expand our customer base while continuing to provide a quality service to our existing customers,” he added.
The distributor was acquired by WCF Ltd in 2014, and the site, which had operated as a fuel depot for more than 20 years, was closed in 2016, to bring operations together at Allan Stobart’s head office and depot at Raughton Head, near Dalston, Carlisle.
Expected to be operational by late Autumn, the new site will operate alongside Allan Stobart’s existing depots at Raughton Head and Hexham.
Responding to fluctuating demand
Noting “the changing nature of fuel distribution” Steve highlighted the need for flexibility to react to changing demand: “Increasing our fuel storage capacity enables us to be more resilient during periods of peak demand and ensures we can meet our customers’ needs and get deliveries to them as soon as possible.”
“This move signals our investment in the future and our commitment to ensuring we deliver the best possible service for our customers.”
Part of Brampton-based WCF Ltd, Allan Stobart Lubricants & Fuels delivers commercial, agricultural and domestic fuels to customers across north Cumbria, west Cumbria and the Eden Valley, south-west Scotland, Hexham and the wider Tyne Valley.
Images provided by Allan Stobart Lubricants & Fuels