Freightliner, the UK rail freight subsidiary of the American corporation Genesee & Wyoming, has committed to a long-term partnership with The Malcolm Group by securing a five-year service contract. The new intermodal service, now a month into the contract, links Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal and the Grangemouth rail freight terminal in Central Scotland. Operating seven days a week, it entails two overnight services and facilitates the movement of up to 36 platforms of domestic goods in both directions.

Scotland’s logistics and construction services specialists, The Malcolm Group, has been a family-owned business that has been operating for over 90 years. Their association with rail freight operations doesn’t go back all that way, but the last two decades have seen their operations grow, including collaborations with Freightliner. It may even be an excuse to livery up a new locomotive in Malcolm colours.

Enhancing existing services

According to The Malcolm Group, the new contract with Freightliner helps bolster connections between the Central Belt of Scotland and the Midlands of England – the region often referred to as the Golden Triangle for distribution operations. The utilisation of Freightliner’s lighter wagons allows for a significant 25 per cent increase in the volume of goods transported. Recent developments at Grangemouth have made the terminal there capable of handling longer trains. The flow is two-way, carrying loads in both directions, making the service attractive to Scottish and English customers.

Andrew Malcolm, CEO of The Malcolm Group, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with Freightliner. “We are delighted to be working with Freightliner”, he said. We look forward to enhancing our existing services and developing new opportunities with the Freightliner team for the benefit of our customers.”

Heritage centre handover

To optimise operations, The Malcolm Group are using Freightliner’s high-tech Omnia system. “Freightliner recognises the importance of our customers’ need for accurate Scope 3 data for reporting upstream transportation and distribution carbon emissions”, explains the carrier. “The data provided meets current UK government guidelines for external reporting, is fuel based, and can be provided for all rail freight use in any period or an individual journey. The data can be reported in a format to meet customers’ internal needs.”

In a ceremonial gesture, Tim Shoveller, the recently appointed CEO of G&W UK/Europe, presented Andrew Malcolm with a commemorative plaque honouring “The Malcolm Group” at The Donald Malcolm Heritage Centre in Linwood, the Renfrewshire town where the company is headquartered. A locomotive naming ceremony is also planned.