MILTON KEYNES, UK, 2015-2-6 — /EPR Retail News/ — John Lewis has announced that it will open a new distribution centre (DC) in Milton Keynes, to support the growth of its omnichannel business in both shops and online.
John Lewis has signed a 25-year lease on the 638,000 sq feet warehouse. The DC will support the retailer’s existing distribution centre (DC) at Magna Park which opened in 2009, and the adjacent Magna Park 2, which will be fully operational in 2016.
The move is part of the omnichannel retailer’s plans for improvements in productivity, availability and customer service as well as supporting its expansion plans. Recognising shopping habits are changing and with omnichannel giving shoppers more choices than ever before, the retailer is strengthening its distribution network to ensure it continues to deliver a coordinated and convenient shopping experience to its customers.
The new DC will be responsible for large furniture and electricals and home furnishings, while Magna Park one and two, will be responsible for handling smaller products such as iPads and accessories and hanging garments respectively.
Distribution Partners located at four of John Lewis’s existing sites today received the proposal to relocate to either the new DC or to another of the retailer’s operations in Milton Keynes. This includes 239 Partners at three Milton Keynes sites, 8 Partners from Stevenage and 37 Partners from Carlisle. Each of the Partners will be offered a new role at the new site or our other operations in Milton Keynes.
Dino Rocos, Operations Director at John Lewis, said: ‘As customers shopping habits evolve so too does our operational business model. The new DC will enable us to better respond, react and fulfil omnichannel shopping experiences be it via phone, tablet, desktop or visiting a shop.
‘For the supply chain this means improving availability. Our new Milton Keynes DC will complement our two Magna Park sites and provide us with the space to continue to build on the improvements we have made in providing better service to our shops and customers.
‘We recognise the high level of talent and valuable experience that currently exists with our Partners across the sites that we propose to relocate and every Partner will be guaranteed a new role at our new DC.’
Notes to editors
John Lewis – John Lewis operates 43 John Lewis shops across the UK (31 department stores, ten John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2) as well as johnlewis.com. It is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s largest example of worker co-ownership and all 30,000 John Lewis staff are Partners in the business. John Lewis, ‘Multichannel Retailer of the Year 2014’¹ , ‘Best Overall Retailer’² and ‘Best Retailer 2014’³, typically stocks more than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores across fashion, home and technology. Johnlewis.com stocks over 280,000 products, and is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. John Lewis Insurance offers a range of comprehensive insurance products – home, car, wedding and event, travel and pet insurance and life cover – delivering the values of expertise, trust and customer service expected from the John Lewis brand.
¹ Oracle Retail Week Awards 2014
² Verdict Consumer Satisfaction Awards 2014
³ Which? Awards 2014.
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Enquiries
For further information please contact:
Vikki Speed
Senior Communications Officer, Corporate & Brand, John Lewis
Telephone: 020 7931 4921
Email: vikki.speed@johnlewis.co.uk