Clydeport, Scotland

Client: Clydeport, Scotland.
Type of works: installation of 1m L-bloc^® for Clydeport, Scotland’s intercontinental and Atlantic-facing port operator, to create a brand new storage facility at its site in Rosyth.

When Clydeport, Scotland’s major west-coast intercontinental and Atlantic-facing port operator, won a contract to supply coal for a major utilities company, it needed to create a brand new storage facility at its site in Rosyth.

Peter Little, Engineering Manager of Glasgow-based Clydeport, explained that the coal arrives in quantities of 20,000 to 25,000 tonnes from the Baltic States. At any one time, up to 60,000 tonnes may need to be stored at the east-coast port, before onward transit. Unloading is carried out with a combination of cranes and front-loading shovels, which creates a harsh environment, which in turn demands robust equipment and facilities.

Clydeport handles around 7.5 million tonnes of cargo each year, and also manages port facilities in Glasgow, Greenock, Hunterston and Ardrossan, and has business interests in Fort William. At Rosyth, Mr Little had an area extending across 7,000m², and needed a robust retaining wall, capable of supporting and containing coal loaded to a depth of around 3m.

He first came across Poundfield Products at Hillhead, and was very impressed with what he saw. Early in 2005, he placed the order for 370 of Poundfield’s recently developed 1m L-blocs^®.

Mr Little says: 'In actual fact, this facility at Rosyth is one of our smaller storage areas, looking at Clydeport as a whole. We unload and store everything from aggregates to paper pulp across our ports. But we chose Poundfield products in this instance because they offered very attractive value for money, and we were convinced that they were right for the job. Undoubtedly there will be further orders.'

He adds: 'We did experience a very minor problem, in that one of the corner units rotated under the weight, but Poundfield immediately took remedial action and solved it completely with more secure strapping to the edges. They came up with a solution very quickly, which is always a good recommendation.'

Sarah Smith, Poundfield’s Sales Manager, had the task of co-ordinating everything. For the transportation of 370 L-blocs^®, a fleet of trucks was employed to complete 30 of the gruelling 800 mile round trips. Poundfield’s L-blocs^® were arriving at Rosyth at the rate of around 50 a week for several weeks, with deliveries closely co-ordinated with the contractors, who were employed to assemble and install the retaining walls.

Sarah says: 'Most similar products need to be bound, but ours have unique tongued-and-grooved interlocking, which means that it is not only more quickly installed but it also has stronger joints. It’s also up to 35% lighter than comparable systems because of its pre-stressed construction and its interlocking capability results in a more robust wall.

'The characteristics, combined with the fact that the 1m width is one of the largest L-blocks on the market, means that our products are proving very popular and are increasingly specified by contractors. Not only are they very robust but I firmly believe that they are excellent value for money.'