Argos has awarded Wincanton’s commercial vehicle specialist business, Pullman Fleet Services, a three-year repair and maintenance contract, for its fleet of HGVs.
Pullman will be responsible for repair and maintenance of some 1,500 vehicles and trailers. It will operate from seven locations across the UK.
“We required a business partner that had both the scale and capability to provide a national solution delivering common standards across the UK,” said retail distribution director at Argos, Phil Hull.
“Our values are all about delivering value and convenience to our customers, and maximising vehicle on-road time safely will be a key contributor to this.
Pullman’s network of some 30 service centres and 150 mobile service vans will be on hand for the retailer as part of the deal.
*Argos has been restructuring its supply chain to meet the needs of both online and store shoppers.
In particular, it has been testing a hub and spoke distribution model. Stores will be larger than average stock rooms to hold a wider product range and vans are used to distribute products from there to nearby spoke stores giving them access to the wider range within hours.
It started tests in the North East at the beginning of last year has later extended the trials into about 50 stores.
*Argos is also working with eBay, enabling shoppers at about 50 selected eBay merchants to pick up products from 150 Argos stores throughout the UK.
The retailer has some 740 stores across England, Scotland and Wales.
