Aldi to close East Midlands mega shed
Discount retail giant Aldi is set to close its 600,000 ft2 distribution centre in Sawley, Derbyshire, in a move to improve supply chain efficiency.
By Liza Helps, Property Editor, Logistics Matters
THE DC which only went operational five years ago employs 400 people. It will be wound down over the next two years with workers and operations moving to its 1.3 million ft2 state-of-the-art facility in Bardon, Leicestershire.
There will be a full consultation process where proposals will be shared with employees and it is understood that nothing has been finalised and no decisions will be made until that consultation process has concluded
Originally developed by Aldi, the Sawley has been distributing produce to Aldi Store in the East Midlands since 2020.
The Bardon site which spans 72-acres is a £500 million flagship development providing a facility comprising of four main interconnected warehouses with a height of up to circa 30m and associated service yard. This includes approximately 50,000 ft2 of two storey offices as well as a 65,000 sq ft mezzanine.
The barrel vault roof supports a PV solar array and the whole building achieved an EPC A rating. The building is Aldi’s largest distribution project to date, marking a step change in their approach to construction and acting as the next rung on their commitment to net zero by 2035. It represents Aldi’s lowest embodied and operational carbon per m2 distribution centre to date.
The NDC is ‘the fulcrum of Aldi’s logistics infrastructure’ and is critical to support Aldi’s national store network growth. It is also Aldi’s first globally automated site with the MHE maintenance team pivotal to the site’s success.
Aldi is investing £550 million in a 500- store expansion in the UK. It has secured 11% market share and has overtaken Morrisons to become the UK’s fourth-largest supermarket.
The Nottingham Post reported that an Aldi spokesperson said of the Sawley closure proposals: “Like any business, we must adapt and innovate in order to support our continued growth.
“Bardon represents a strategically important investment for our business as we work towards our long-term ambition of 1,500 stores across the UK.
“We are investing in the very latest technology that will significantly increase the efficiency of our warehouse network, and reduce the cost of serving our stores, meaning we can continue to deliver the lowest prices on the market to our customers.
The Sawley sites is located between the A50, B6540 Tamworth Road and Netherfield Lane, off Junction 24a of the M1 motorway. The scheme was granted planning permission in August 2015.
