Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital can now scan 100 more patients every week, following a £3m revamp of part of their radiology department. Sewell Group’s Community Ventures team, based at Thorpe Park in Leeds, managed delivery of the scheme for South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which was part of a national programme to deliver clinical diagnostic services closer to patients’ homes. The 15-month project saw the old radiology block transformed into a modern hospital department, creating a spoke site for the Tees Valley Clinical Diagnostic Centre programme, which also includes sites in Stockton, Hartlepool, and Redcar. Community Ventures worked with multiple stakeholders to arrive at the design solution for the new facility, applied for funding to develop the scheme, delivered it in a live hospital environment and coordinated the transfer of clinical services to alternative locations – including a mobile CT scanner in the car park – whilst the works were ongoing. The result is a state-of-the-art facility, with two CT scanners, including a new £900,000 machine, viewing rooms, a new cannulation room, two new ultrasound rooms and a new dental scan room, as well as changing facilities and an accessible toilet. As well as giving extra capacity for patients to be seen, helping reduce waiting times and improving health outcomes for patients, the facilities will enable more heart patients to undergo scans at the Friarage, instead of having to travel to other hospitals. Kelly Smith, head of radiology at South Tees said: “This is fantastic news for our patients across Hambleton, Richmondshire and beyond who will benefit from faster imaging and access to more diagnostic appointments closer to home. “The new scanner is the highest specification scanner we have got across the whole department and it’s great to see it benefitting our Friarage patients.” Scott Clarkson of Community Ventures, who project managed the scheme whilst seconded into the Trust’s Capital Projects department, said: “This was anything but a straightforward project, but the results have been amazing to see. “Arranging the removal of two X-ray machines and the temporary storage of a CT scanner during the works wasn’t easy, but the staff in the department showed incredible flexibility and willingness to adapt during the delivery of the works. “The scheme is now delivering a significant increase in diagnostics capacity in the region, and knowing that the end result of our work will save so many lives really makes it all worthwhile.”

An office move and warehouse investment is helping a Yorkshire racking supplier celebrate 30 years in business. Filstorage, which is based near Howden, was founded by current Managing Director Paul Taylor in 1993. To mark the anniversary, the business has moved offices from a former residential house in Eastrington to The Old Stables, a renovated office building in the same village. The business has also invested £1.5m in a brand new warehouse development at Spaldington, designed to streamline its distribution processes. Paul Taylor said the two moves would bring major efficiencies to every aspect of the business, making it a befitting way to celebrate Filstorage’s 30th anniversary. He said: “Filstorage started life selling plastic-coated, wire-framed baskets to builders merchants. That was our core market. But as we became more established, merchants started asking us for other storage solutions such as shop shelving, and then eventually racking, so we moved organically into these areas. “We now offer a complete design and fitout service for warehouses, shops, showrooms and yards, as well as all types of racking and storage equipment including mezzanine floors. “Unsurprisingly, as the stock we held got larger, we ran out of warehouse space so we needed to increase our own storage facilities. Alongside this, staffing numbers increased as the business expanded, to the point we outgrew our offices and needed to relocate into a larger, more modern space.” Mr Taylor added that finding office space that was convenient for everyone in the business had been a challenge until The Old Stables – a former agricultural building converted to high standard modern offices – came available. The new office is on the same street of the business’s former one, and benefits from on-site parking as well as an open-plan design and breakout rooms for collaborative working. Finding quality warehousing in the area was an even bigger challenge, Mr Taylor said, which led him to decide to build a bespoke solution. The new facilities replace Filstorage’s former warehousing – a series of old, ramshackle stone barns in Spaldington – with a brand new, 1,800 sq ft facility on the same site. Mr Taylor said: “The new facilities are world class compared to our former warehouse. “It has been built with sustainability in mind with all the concrete from the foundations of the old buildings being crushed up and reused in the foundations of the new build. We also added a lot of skylights to let natural light in, meaning we will only need to use artificial lighting on winter mornings and afternoons. “It has also improved health & safety for our warehouse staff. HGV access is much better and manoeuvrability inside the warehouse is much improved, which takes a lot of the risk out of manual handling. “The new warehouse is a fantastic facility that makes our distribution processes far more efficient, while ensure our staff are as safe as we can make them.”

The UK subsidiary of MEDLOG SA, part of the MSC Group of companies, has agreed terms with pan-European logistics specialist Verdion to operate its iPort Rail multimodal freight terminal at iPort in Doncaster, signalling expansion of the facility in 2025. The global transport and logistics provider is taking a long-term lease of the facility with handover expected to complete in the first quarter of next year. Lifting and storage of containers at the iPort Rail terminal will be performed under the MEDLOG brand. iPort Rail’s current 27-strong team will remain in place with a focus on business as usual for existing customers. As part of the transaction, Verdion will now start work on Phase 2 of iPort Rail, doubling the current size and storage capacity of the terminal and increasing the number of trains it can accommodate daily, as well as continuing the low carbon movement of goods to existing iPort occupiers. Planning consent has been secured and work is expected to start in Q1 2024, with the expanded terminal expected to come into operation in Q1 2025. iPort is one of the UK’s most significant multimodal logistics hubs, and the largest in the north of England. When complete iPort will extend to 6 million sq ft of logistics and light industrial accommodation operating 24/7. Alongside iPort Rail, Amazon, CEVA, Fellowes, Lidl, Woodland Group, Maritime Group and Euro Pool Systems already have operations here, with further names expected as the newest buildings on the park are leased. Further warehousing facilities, the largest extending to 848,000 sq ft, are also planned. Its on-site, open access rail terminal – iPort Rail – was opened in 2018 by HRH The Princess Royal, with daily services now running to/from Southampton, Felixstowe, London Gateway and Teesport. It has secured the Government’s Authorised Economic Operator  status. John Clements, Executive Director of Verdion, said: “The economic and environmental benefits of rail freight are clear, and we have significant untapped potential here at iPort to increase provision and support national and international supply chains. This agreement with MEDLOG will underpin current operations as well as creating a strong platform for future growth, including more business and employment opportunities across the Doncaster and South Yorkshire region.” Dan Everitt, MD of MEDLOG UK, said: “iPort Rail is strategically located less than five minutes from junction 3 of the M18 motorway in England and it will continue to be an open access terminal, with operations continuing seamlessly and without interruption to its customers. The investment in the iPort Rail terminal is part of the group’s continued investment in intermodal infrastructure in the United Kingdom.”