XPO opens Northern Distribution Centre
3PL XPO has opened its new 213,000 ft2 distribution centre in Wakefield, West Yorkshire with its long-term partner Saint-Gobain UK this week.
By Liza Helps Property Editor Logistics Matters
THE PROPERTY was pre-let to XPO on a 10 year lease to service a contract with manufacturer Saint Gobain last year.
Known as Voltaic on Wakefield 41 the facility was refurbished by Melburg Capital who hd acquired it on an off market deal in 2021.
Dual-branded with XPO Logistics and Saint-Gobain livery, the site operates as a multi-brand one-stop shop for warehousing, backhaul and distribution to end customers. In addition, by focusing on backhaul activity, both partners can significantly reduce carbon emissions from their logistics operations and benefit from a positive Health and Safety impact.
The centre supports multiple manufacturing operations in the North and the Midlands, providing new distribution capability for Saint-Gobain UK brands and enabling Saint-Gobain to accelerate its plans for multi-brand site deliveries for customers.
The warehouse can store 2.5 million m2 square of plasterboard and has 1,500 racking locations for palletised goods. The forklift trucks on site are all electric, further reducing CO2e emissions.
Other warehouse innovations in the pipeline include use of ATVs, robot sweepers, a proprietary warehouse management system, and stock–taking drones. The latter development significantly impacts health and safety, thanks to the reduced need for colleagues to work at height.
The eventual aim is for the site to become a fulfilment centre stocking products from across the Saint-Gobain UK brand family that can be dispatched directly to the consumer.
