Logistics group Wincanton has been awarded a five-year extension to its warehousing and distribution contract with retail group Co-op, taking the partnership between the two firms into its fourth decade.
Under the new agreement, Chippenham-headquartered Wincanton will continue to provide facilities management and distribution services from a 340,000 sq ft Co-op regional distribution centre in Wellingborough, Northants, pictured.
Wincanton, which has 20,300 employees and 8,500 vehicles in more than 170 sites across the UK, has managed the site for Co-op since 2019.
Wincanton will continue to replenish nearly 350 Co-op stores across the Midlands, South East and East of England, delivering upwards of 750,000 cases a week, including chilled, ambient and frozen goods.
More than 600 people will continue to support the contract.
Wincanton, owned by US-owned global operator GXO Logistics following a £753.5m takeover in April, said the contract extension was testament to the firm’s “proven site management skills, colleague expertise and consistent operational excellence” at the Wellingborough site, as well as the alignment between the two companies on important shared values.
Wincanton topped the Social Value Leaders category at the Co-op’s Difference Awards in June in recognition of the 10,000 hours of social value delivered by the Co-op Wellingborough team in the community last year.
Wincanton managing director of grocery and consumer James Hurrell said: “We are delighted to extend our long-standing relationship with Co-op and look forward to continuing to provide outstanding service.
“Our values around safety, social value and sustainability align with those of Co-op, making this a truly collaborative partnership in every sense.”
Co-op director of logistics Ian Gibb added: “Working closely with our partners, our depots play a vital role in ensuring that Co-op products are freshly delivered and conveniently available in towns, villages and cities across the UK – when and where our member-owners and customers shop with us.”
Wincanton’s portfolio of clients range from retailers such as New Look, IKEA and Sainsbury to defence and industrial customers such as EDF and BAE System.
