The Co-operative Group’s new £15m distribution depot at Birtley has opened for business.
More than 550 staff are employed at the site, including drivers, warehouse operatives and vehicle maintenance staff, as well as staff working in food retail administration and other parts of The Co-operative business.
The 280,000 square foot facility will operate with over 100 trucks with orders picked at a rate of 500,000 cases per week for distribution to 260 Co-operative food stores across the north. Full operational capacity is expected to be reached in July.
Products at the Composite Distribution Centre can be stored at a range of temperatures – from frozen to ambient – and are picked using the latest high-tech voice recognition technology.
Warehouse staff operating on site will do so in a paperless environment and with increased accuracy. Instructions are transmitted to them through a headset, and state-of-the-art equipment ensures the correct products are assembled for distribution.
The new building incorporates a number of energy-efficient features, including the harvesting of rainwater to be used for refrigeration and vehicle washing. Office lighting is movement triggered and has a daylight-dimming feature, which lowers its brightness depending on the level of light during the day. The site has received an “A” rating Energy Performance Certificate from the Government.
Ian Smith, Regional Operations Manager North for Co-operative Food Retail Logistics, said: “The Birtley project has been a massive team effort and we’re delighted operations are now under way at the facility which boasts a range of green features. The depot is key to ensuring stores continue to give Co-operative customers the high level of product availability and service they expect.”
Source: The Co-operative Group
