End-to-end logistics provider XPO Logistics and Saint-Gobain UK have opened a new warehouse in Wakefield, UK, which will provide extra distribution capability for Saint-Gobain UK brands and accelerate its plans for multibrand site deliveries for customers.
Dual-branded with XPO Logistics and Saint-Gobain livery, the Wakefield Northern Distribution Centre operates as a multibrand 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.
Anika Sharma, customer service and supply chain director at Saint-Gobain Interior Solutions UK, said, “This new site is strategically vital for us, and we are delighted to have created it in collaboration with one of our key partners, XPO Logistics. The center strengthens our existing logistics offering and allows us to expand and explore exciting new opportunities to benefit our customers.”
The site has been leased long-term and provides a strategic stockholding location for Saint-Gobain’s manufacturing facilities. XPO Logistics will offer several value-added services, such as accelerating consolidated product delivery across multiple Saint-Gobain brands. This will result in multiple Saint-Gobain brand products being delivered to the customer on one vehicle, as opposed to orders being received on multiple delivery vehicles, which was the case in the past.
Other warehouse innovations in the pipeline include the use of ATVs, robot sweepers, a proprietary warehouse management system and stocktaking drones. The latter development significantly affects health and safety, thanks to the reduced need for colleagues to work at height.
Dan Myers, managing director – UK and Ireland at XPO Logistics, said, “It’s great to see what our teams collectively have achieved with this new distribution center. Working together, this facility is a significant step for Saint-Gobain’s supply chain, helping to support our partner’s sustainability agenda while enhancing its customer service. I want to thank the team for the seamless delivery of this project against ambitious timelines.”
The aim is for the site to become a fulfillment center stocking products from across the Saint-Gobain UK brand family that can be dispatched directly to consumers.