Mars & DHL open “world-class” sustainable London facility via £350m investment

DHL and Mars UK today have announced the opening of a new “state of the art” warehousing facility, London Thames Gateway.

The opening marks the completion of Mars UK’s new “world-class” logistics operation, through a £350m investment and partnership with DHL. The project will reduce Mars UK’s logistics carbon footprint by 7.7 per cent and remove a million miles a year from roads, which is 40 times around the world.

The new facility, standing at 42 metres, makes it one of the tallest distribution centres in Europe and features 3,700 solar panels, which produce 27 per cent of the site’s power usage. It has achieved BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ accreditation, placing it in the top one per cent of non-domestic buildings in the UK environmentally.

Its streamlined operations incorporate the latest automated pallet storage and retrieval (ASRS) technology and the Gateway facility also features High Frequency charging of equipment resulting in up to 30 per cent less energy usage, rainwater harvesting and LED lighting throughout.

From Whiskas and Pedigree to Celebrations and Ben’s Original, Mars UK transports over 1.2 million pallets of its products every year, which, if you stack those pallets on top of each other, is the equivalent of shipping the height of Mount Everest every other day. The two new sites will increase Mars’ UK warehousing capacity by over 50 per cent.

The location of the warehouse means it has strong transport links. Mars is able to streamline the inbound and outbound distribution of its product portfolio, removing a million miles a year from roads.

The completion of the new facilities is a “significant milestone” in Mars UK and DHL’s journey to a more sustainable future, showcasing their commitment to finding innovative solutions to reduce environmental impact in logistics operations, whilst ensuring that Mars is well positioned to deliver their portfolio of products to future generations.

Adam Grant, general manager, Mars Wrigley UK, Mars, commented: “Today is a major milestone for Mars UK’s logistics operations and a meaningful step in our sustainability journey.

“Over the past few years, our partnership with DHL has seen the completion of two pioneering facilities. Not only does this futureproof our distribution practices, it also puts into action Mars’ aim to create a world-class logistics operation that is sustainable, smart and agile.”

Saul Resnick, CEO, DHL Supply Chain UK&I, added: “This project with Mars UK further solidifies our belief that working with partners whose business and sustainability targets align with your own allows you to achieve the best results.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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