By Liza Helps, Property Editor, Logistics Matters

THE COMPANY said this would bring customs clearance, inspection and last-mile delivery into one system, allowing cross-border parcels to be delivered as fast as 24 hours after landing, helping maintain stable service levels even during peak promotional periods and supporting Cainiao’s 3-day delivery service in the UK.

It has taken Abrdn Investments 10,269 ft2 Unit 5 property on Central Way, Feltham. It boasts 7,998 ft2 of warehouse floorspace with 8.5m eaves and two level access doors as well as 2,271 ft2 of first floor offices. Sole letting agent was JLL.

The facility went operational earlier this month and a company spokesperson said: “The launch of the UK port warehouse marks another step in Cainiao’s continued upgrade of its global logistics network and its growing in-house control over port operations. By integrating customs clearance and postal delivery into a single tightly managed system, we are aiming to reset the performance benchmark for cross-border logistics.”

Cainiao  has leases on at least three other facilities in the UK  including Prologis’ 150,911 ft2 DC4 warehouse at Apex Park in Daventry, East Midlands which it acquired earlier this year on e a10 year lease it also has the circa. 240,000 ft2 Unit 2 at Prologis Park Dunstable, and the 336,635 ft2 Unit 1 at Wilson Bowden and Goodman’s Leicester Commercial Park in the East Midlands. Both these buildings were initially let to 4PX Express, a sister subsidiary  in 2016 and 2019 respectively.

It is thought that Cainiao has taken on the lease liabilities to both these buildings going forward.