McDowell's reveals rapid expansion

Fast-growing Keighley, West Yorkshire haulier McDowell Haulage and Distribution says work will begin shortly on a new 25,000ft² warehouse in order to keep up with demand.

The company, which has contracts to transport school furniture and cosmetics and is also a member of The Pallet Network, opened a new depot in Bellshill in December and earlier this month deliveries began to arrive into another new warehouse in Avonmouth.

Now that the firm has been given the green light to construct a depot on one of its existing sites in Keighley it hopes that work will be underway within a few months.

McDowell’s expansion comes as it takes delivery of two new tractors, a Mercedes Actros 2546 and a Scania G Series 440.

It has also bought three new double-deck teardrop Eco-friendly trailers and is in the process of ordering three new 26-tonne rigids, taking its fleet to 110 vehicles.

"We suddenly realised we were outgrowing our previous operation," says sales and marketing manager Steve Fry. "We are competing for business as well all the time. In Keighley it just seems to be growing. There’s business here and some of our customers seem to be progressing."

McDowell’s was recently included in a list of the 50 fastest growing companies in Yorkshire.