EWS Industrial, the rail transport specialist moving heavy raw materials for British industry, was launched today as a new opportunity to move industrial materials by rail.

Initially specialising in services for the metals and petroleum markets, EWS Industrial will quickly widen its range of services to enable British industry to increase its use of rail freight services and enjoy greater economic and environmental benefits by doing so.

EWS Industrial has been created with a strong business plan for sustained growth in order to meet the increasing demands of British industry. Independent forecasts by Network Rail project that the movement of heavy raw materials by rail is increasing. Use of rail freight services by the metals and petroleum industries alone are projected to grow by up to 45% by 2015, based on current traffic volumes.

EWS Industrial is today outlining to customers where it will enhance service provision and widen its portfolio of services in order to facilitate this projected growth, through:

• Increasing haulage capacity by running longer, heavier trains on the railway network
• Offering improved door to door logistics solutions, including covered transit storage and just in time deliveries to strategically located terminals
• Outlining the resource and planning benefits for customers using EWS Industrial's stable plan operations
• Developing its capability for operating services through the Channel Tunnel, opening up new opportunities through working with its European partner, Euro Cargo Rail

Growth in these vital markets will be developed with a strong link to EWS Industrial's environmental responsibilities. EWS Industrial recognises that its clients face important choices in managing the impact their operations have on the environment. As a supplier of rail transport services, EWS Industrial will take action to continually improve its environmental performance to lower its own and its clients' carbon footprints, which will enhance the competitiveness of our services.

Neil McDonald, Managing Director of EWS Industrial said: "EWS Industrial has been launched to move more heavy raw materials for British industry by rail in Britain and through the Channel Tunnel to mainland Europe. This is one of the most exciting developments in rail freight in years and we are passionate about the future prospects for growth in these important markets. We are shaping the future of rail freight and we look forward to delivering more for our customers."