Speedy has opened a flagship national distribution centre (NDC) in Tamworth.

At 162,000sq ft, it will serve as a central hub for optimising the company’s product holding and distribution capabilities for its portfolio of 4,000 product lines. The NDC will also be home to the company’s new national induction and training centre.

Located at Emperor Point, Centurion Way, the NDC officially opened on Thursday 5 March. There are 126 people based at the site, including highly skilled engineers and workshop operatives, as well as supporting roles in transport, facilities and administration. The facility will enable Speedy to reduce operating costs while investing in its people through enhanced on-the-job and role-specific training, thereby generating enhanced productivity.

Mark Rogerson, Speedy’s chief executive officer, said: “Our new NDC at Tamworth is at the heart of the programme to optimise our network, which has been designed to improve our product availability and ultimately deliver service excellence to our customers.

“Our aim is to deliver products to our customers faster, safer and more efficiently, and the NDC forms a key part of this strategy. Crucially, the site has been designed around lean workflow processes to minimise waste and ensure our daily operations are streamlined and sustainable. I am particularly proud of the Speedy team in that this facility has been expedited from concept design to initial operating capability in just eight months.”

The new site also features a dedicated national induction and training centre with classroom and practical training areas that mirror the environment in which new employees will work. Over 100 courses are available, ranging from standard inductions and technical product training to leadership and management training. By the end of the year, up to 1,000 people are expected to have been inducted or trained at the centre.

Mr Rogerson continued: “As well as the operational benefits, the new facility provides a fantastic working environment for our people – something that is key to my agenda of making Speedy an employer of choice within our industry.

“Each and every one of our employees will have access to enhanced career development opportunities and training. Investing in our people at all levels is the key to our future success. Furthermore, Speedy’s customers will also have access to a whole host of safety, environmental and industry-specific training courses.”