Logistics service provider XPO Logistics and food group Nestlé have inaugurated the 'distribution centre of the future'. The facility in Leicestershire, UK, consists of a DC and technology hub, where robotics, automated sortation systems and a digital warehouse ecosystem play a key role.
In the 60,000 square metre building, XPO Logistics handles Nestlé products produced at 11 UK sites, as well as incoming goods from other countries. It also handles e-fulfilment for the Nespresso brand there.
Innovation hub
Swisslog provided customised automation solutions for the site. These are integrated with XPO's digital warehouse ecosystem. The 'DC of the future' includes an innovation hub where new solutions are tested and logistics issues investigated. Promising technologies can thus be tested directly in practice and then shown to XPO customers as innovations. The facility is designed as a multi-user space with solutions for different logistics activities.
XPO said sustainability was a key consideration in the design and location choice. The DC is located at a rail hub, allowing XPO to make deliveries in the London region by rail. A liquid gas filling station is currently being developed at the site, allowing Nestlé to use energy-efficient gas trucks instead of diesel trucks.
