Scientific Laboratory Supplies announces plans to move to a new, state-of-the-art National Distribution Centre on the Fairham Business Park development in Clifton, Nottingham.
The multi-million-pound facility is three times bigger than the current SLS site and will ensure the company’s plans for continued growth can be achieved for years to come. On building completion, the company will invest a further £3.5m for an extensive ‘fit out’ including offices, mezzanine levels and warehouse automation.
The Fairham site is just four miles from SLS’ current site in Wilford, allowing for an efficient transition to the new premises with minimal disruption to staff and facility users. It’s also within easy reach of the M1, East Midlands Airport and the NET Tram Park & Ride site.
Increasing warehouse capacity by 180% will enable a larger, more diverse stock holding and reduced customer lead times. The new order dispatch capacity will be 170% larger than SLS’ existing provision and include automated warehouse picking and order packing systems. An accelerated investment in IT integration will provide improved customer order visibility through enhanced order tracking and proof of delivery.
Office space will be significantly increased to accommodate a flexible working environment in a modern open-plan office format. Creative meeting spaces and discussion hubs will be located across the new site contributing to improved employee well-being at work, whilst enhancing productivity.
The Distribution Centre building has been designed with sustainability at its core with a minimum BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ but with the aim to achieve an ‘Excellent’ rating. It will have 12 EV charging points, a bike shelter to hold 20 bikes and is just a one-minute walk from the tram stop. It will include the greater energy conservation techniques that come from modern builds as well as solar panels fitted to the exterior.
SLS Managing Director Ian Roulstone, said: “For over 30 years, SLS has been able to expand our existing Nottingham facility to accommodate the growth we have achieved. That building has served us well, but the time has come for us to take a huge step forward in our development and position ourselves for further growth in the decades to come.
“Our new facility at Fairham will be state-of-the-art, tailored to the needs of our business and our employees, and part of an exciting new community that will be a pleasure to work from. Our customers and our suppliers can have faith in our improved efficiency and capacity and our staff will have a vastly improved working environment – one that we can all be proud to work in. As the building starts to take shape, we look forward to the exciting opportunities this facility will bring and to the continued success it will enable for SLS in the future.”
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