DIY superstore operator Homebase has awarded a warehousing and distribution contract to Unipart Logistics, the specialist supply chain management arm of Unipart. The contract, covering the warehousing and distribution of around 30% of Homebase’s product range to all UK stores, is worth £40M over ten years and will be based at Unipart Logistics’ flagship distribution centre (DC) at Cowley, Oxford.
Unipart Logistics currently works with Homebase providing fulfilment for the Mi Home offering introduced last year into major stores, which involved developing the home enhancement product sector for Homebase and required a new service standard for the delivery of large furniture items direct to customers’ homes.
Under this new contract, which establishes a 23,000 pallet import centre for Homebase products in Oxford, Unipart Logistics will be investing significantly in its Oxford DC.
The new contract covers inbound logistics, warehousing, outbound logistics, load consolidation and distribution services and will go live delivering to all UK stores from December 2004.
Nigel Basey, head of distribution at Homebase, says: “Working with Homebase on the Mi Home service offering they [Unipart Logistics] have demonstrated a strong focus on meeting our key requirements of availability, cost effectiveness, delivery and service quality.”
