A Middlesbrough based shipping container specialist has completed a significant stage in its development with the opening of a new five acre depot at the Port of Newport. The move marks the largest site in the company’s history and reinforces the Cleveland Group Newport depot expansion as a central element of its ongoing growth strategy.
The new location extends the group’s existing network, which already includes operational sites in Middlesbrough, Ashby de la Zouch in the Midlands and Cambuslang near Glasgow. The Cleveland Group Newport depot expansion follows a period of rapid progress since the business received minority investment from Lloyds Development Capital in 2022. Growth has averaged 30 per cent year on year and the workforce has more than doubled from 45 to 100 staff.
Richard Gray, chief commercial officer at Cleveland Group, said: “Newport stood out as the perfect strategic location. It positions us to better serve South Wales, the Midlands and even London, and it gives us the capability to support major infrastructure and renewables projects. Our expansion is set to continue – we’re already planning additional sites to support the next phase of Cleveland Group’s growth.”
The company has entered a ten year lease agreement for the site with Associated British Ports.
ABP owns and manages the land at the Port of Newport. Property agents Jenkins Best acted as intermediaries and facilitated the agreement between the two parties.
Callum Rees, property asset manager at ABP, said: “ABP is delighted to welcome Cleveland Group to the Port of Newport as a new customer and a new entrant to the South Wales market. We have invested to bring this site forward and support Cleveland’s long term growth plans. Their arrival is a strong addition to an already excellent occupier base, and it’s been a pleasure to support their expansion into South Wales.”
The depot will function as a modular specialist refurbishment centre. It will include a library of modular panels and will expand the group’s capacity for modular storage, refurbishment and deployment. Shipping containers and site accommodation units will also be stocked to support all operating divisions.
Employment has already increased as a direct result of the Cleveland Group Newport depot expansion, including new appointments such as a senior depot manager, an operations manager and a team of operatives and technicians. Further recruitment will follow as activity on the site develops.
The group anticipates new opportunities for skilled fabricators and others across a broad talent pool. Cleveland was founded in 2011 as a family run shipping container business. It has since evolved into Cleveland Group, operating across Cleveland Containers, Cleveland Hire and Cleveland Modular, supplying shipping containers, bespoke conversions, anti vandal accommodation units and modular buildings.
The Cleveland Group Newport depot expansion reflects the company’s intention to scale its operations while consolidating its presence in key regions.
