Online department store Wehkamp is closing its second distribution centre in Maurik. The site's activities will be transferred to the DC in Zwolle. Thirty jobs are meanwhile being cut at the e-tailer's head office. Wehkamp says it needs fewer people due to automation.
In recent years, the distribution centre in Maurik in Gelderland was mainly used to ship furniture. Wehkamp's main distribution centre in Zwolle, substantially expanded since 2019, offers 110,000 square metres of logistics space and can also house the web goods shop's furniture. By centralising all operations, Wehkamp hopes to achieve efficiency gains.
Fifty employees work at the location in Maurik. They can move along to Zwolle. For employees who do not want to, there is a social plan that guides them to other work.
Reorganisation
Wehkamp is also making changes at its head office. As a result of the reorganisation, 30 of the 600 employees will lose their jobs. According to CEO Graham Harris, the main focus in recent years has been on streamlining shipping. Now that that is in order, Wehkamp wants to make the other business units more flexible and automated. Therefore, fewer jobs are needed. The proposed reorganisation has yet to be reviewed by Wehkamp's Works Council.
New course
Wehkamp set a new course last year to face off against competitors such as bol.com, Zalando, Coolblue and Amazon. The e-tailer says it is focusing on a premium shopping experience, with more inspiration and a better composed assortment. The results of that initiated course are "encouraging", Wehkamp said. The online department store currently sells more than 400,000 different items from some 2,000 brands, particularly in the fashion, home, beauty and baby/child categories. For its entire range, Wehkamp offers next-day delivery with free shipping and free returns.
Image: Wehkamp's main distribution centre in Zwolle
