UK-based apparel and home retailer, Marks and Spencer (M&S) has announced the closure of one of its distribution centre (DC) in Hardwick, which currently handles clothing & home products for stores in the North West and Scotland.
However, the retailer has plans to build a new one, supported by DHL, next year at Welham Green, Hertfordshire. A workforce of around 500 will be recruited to work at the new site. Once operational, the single-tier network of clothing and home logistics will help M& to ensure faster delivery of products to stores from its suppliers that too at lower costs.
Meanwhile, the closure of Hardwick Distribution Centre, being operated by third-party logistics specialist XPO Logistics with transport operations provided by DHL, will affect around 450 people. All the operations here will be closed by September 2018 and work will be transferred to other sites across the M&S distribution network.
“Our decision to shut DC at Hardwick will help us to remove some complexity from our network and speed up our supply chain,” stated Gordon Mowat, Director of Clothing & Home Supply Chain & Logistics.
It is pertinent to add here that the DC on Hardwick Grange, near Warrington, will be closed under M&S’ 5-year transformation programme to make the company a faster and an even more commercial retailer. At least 18 sites including large DCs in Castle Donington, Bradford and Swindon comprise the M&S Clothing & Home distribution network.
Also, the previously announced closure of M&S distribution centre in Neasden is due to be completed early next year.
