Global building materials company Cemex and the UK arm of rail freight operator DB Cargo have moved more than 1mT of aggregates through the rail-fed terminal at Warrington. The milestone in stone movement was reached after a decade of operations at the North West of England terminal. Originally conceived as a short-term “pop-up” site in mid-2016, the terminal has since become a key component in Cemex’s UK distribution network.
Britain’s building boom owes a debt to Warrington in Cheshire. The busy terminal is located adjacent to the West Coast Main Line, Europe’s busiest mixed-traffic rail route. The operation has been supplied by rail from Cemex’s Dove Holes quarry in Derbyshire, about 65km to the east. The site plays a central role in serving the construction markets of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Lancashire with building materials.
Pop-up depot proves permanent potential
Britain has been experiencing a decade-long building boom, particularly in hotspot locations of Manchester, Birmingham and London. The Warrington facility was established to service demand from all three markets. It sits on previously vacant land, capitalising on existing infrastructure, including a weighbridge and office buildings. Its rapid deployment was initially seen as a temporary fix to meet demand in the North West, but it has since grown into a long-term hub.
“The Warrington depot is a great success story in the growth of our rail freight operations at Cemex,” said Mark Grimshaw-Smith, Rail and Sea Manager at Cemex UK. “It serves an important developing market with essential building materials and is an example of how industry can overcome challenges around space, logistics and connectivity to the mainline.” Cemex has been eager to innovate, and its digital systems development has gone hand in hand with the enhanced presence at Warrington.
Partnership delivers modal shift
DB Cargo provides end-to-end haulage services for the terminal, including operations at the Dove Holes (Derbyshire) loading point and last-mile handling at Warrington. Each train delivery can carry up to 2,000 tonnes of material, equivalent to removing up to 100 heavy goods vehicles from the road network.
“The rail terminal at Warrington demonstrates how rail transportation is becoming more flexible and innovative in its ability to meet the demands of its customers and end-users,” said Mandy Atherton, Contract Delivery Manager for National Terminals at DB Cargo UK. “We have been delighted to work with our long-standing customer, Cemex, on this project as it has grown from a temporary pop-up depot into a significant contributor to the region it serves.”
Dove Holes rail hub drives growth
The Warrington site is one of several rail depots served from Cemex’s Dove Holes quarry, a key source of limestone aggregate in the Derbyshire Peak District. Around 55% of output from the quarry is moved by rail, forming a crucial part of Cemex’s effort to decarbonise its logistics chain.
Cemex currently moves around 20% of its aggregates by rail across the UK. In 2024, the company operated over 2,000 rail freight services, reducing the need for an estimated 1,500 HGV movements. The company says it intends to expand rail usage further to meet growing demand from construction and infrastructure development.
Safe and sustainable logistics
In line with Cemex’s global safety commitments, the Warrington operation includes on-site safety protocols for handling, unloading, and weighing. DB Cargo’s involvement encompasses trackside and terminal activities, working to local standards as well as Cemex’s international rail safety requirements.
The milestone at Warrington underlines the potential of smaller, agile terminals to meet strategic logistics needs. From modest beginnings, the site has become an exemplar of modal shift in the aggregates sector. It has popped up and stayed up, delivering both environmental and operational benefits through rail-based supply chain planning.