Capespan is building a massive £1.5m packhouse in the heart of Sheerness Docks as part of its distribution and short-term storage complex. Although only the steelwork is in place, marketing director Martin Dunnett says the 22,000 sq ft facility will be working by mid May. Initially, it will be bagging apples and pears, punnetting stone fruit, and netting oranges. Prepacks will initially account for some three million carton equivalents out of Capespan's total 15 million carton import. But Dunnett said there was also the long-term objective of offering services to other importers. As part of its global strategy, Capespan sells Mediterranean and US citrus and avocados. "Our range of products comes from 22 countries and covers 8,000 specifications," says Rob Meredith, operations director for Fresh Fruit Terminals, the joint venture between Capespan and the port. "This will grow with the new facility. Now we really have control of the fruit." At a time when both multiples and importers are still searching for ways to take links out of the supply chain to reduce costs, the joint venture could find its facility lucrative. Capespan arrivals only account for around a third of Sheerness' imports, most of which come from the southern hemisphere. Having the use of the first major prepacking centre in any UK port within yards of the discharge point is an obvious attraction. {{FRESH PRODUCE }}