The UK has an impressive network of modern distribution centres, which ensure that goods are efficiently loaded onto trucks and vans for delivery to shops, supermarkets, and households across the country.
Recent months have seen announcements about the construction of new facilities designed to make processes even more efficient, and meet the highest environmental and sustainability standards.
These investments also mean that the commercial vehicle drivers transporting many thousands of pallets and parcels to them each day have the best facilities to work in.
For example, supermarket Aldi recently opened a new £500m Distribution Centre at Bardon in Leicestershire, designed to serve nearly 350 stores across the UK, and with the capacity to handle nearly seven million pallets of stock a year.
At 1.3 million square feet, or more than 120,000 square metres, it is made up of five linked buildings, including four ambient and six temperature-controlled chambers for chilled and frozen products.
The building has 100 HGV bays at the front, and 40 at the rear.
It is also the lowest carbon density warehouse across the Aldi South Group, and the 19,000 solar panels installed on the roof can, at times, generate all the electricity required by the site.
About 1,000 people are employed at the site, including many staff who have transitioned from Aldi’s sites at Sawley in Derbyshire, and Atherstone in Warwickshire.
Aldi has also been working with technology partners Dematic and Cimcorp to install the latest automated storage systems at Bardon.
This includes machinery that unpacks deliveries from suppliers and stores cases of products in floor-to-ceiling racking until it isthey are ready to be delivered to stores.
In addition, the site also serves as a National Replenishment Hub, supporting Aldi’s existing warehouse network.
Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “The state-of-the-art technology in Bardon will significantly increase the efficiency of our warehouse network, meaning we can continue to deliver the best possible prices for our customers, every single day.
“We’re committing significant investment in opening new stores and Distribution Centres up and down the country, taking us closer to our goal of having 1,500 stores across the UK.”
Meanwhile, DPD has opened a new purpose-built 63,000 sq ft distribution centre at Forrest Park near Darlington, next to Junction 59 of the A1(M), which can process up to 50,000 parcels a day.
The parcel delivery firm said the new location also has the potential to create up to 250 additional jobs and accommodate more than 100 new delivery driver routes.
It was developed to BREEAM Excellent standards, reflecting a focus on sustainable development and environmental performance.
The fully automated site is part of a multimillion-pound investment programme, announced in March 2025, which includes plans to build seven new distribution centres over two years.
This follows the opening of similar facilities in Crawley and Sittingbourne earlier this year. A fourth site, at Tritax Park Queens’ in Cambridge, was confirmed in July.
Justin Pegg, DPD UK Chief Executive, said: “We are planning for a record Black Friday and Christmas peak period this year and our network of over 80 distribution centres is absolutely key to the campaign.
“This is an ongoing programme and we have consistently invested in building brand new distribution centres for the last 15 years.
“As a result, the majority of our network is made up of purpose-built facilities with the automation and the capacity we need to run a premium national seven-day-a-week, next-day delivery service, helping to ensure we always meet the demand for our services and exceed our customers’ expectations.”
Also, in September, Yusen Logistics opened a new 1.2 million sq ft Sustainable Distribution Centre in Northampton.
The facility, designed to employ about 150 people, will support the logistics provider’s future growth in the UK.
It features automated and smart warehouse technology as well as sustainability measures including solar power generation, rainwater harvesting, EV charging infrastructure and low-carbon operational technology.
The building has also achieved a BREEAM Outstanding rating for sustainable building performance.
Yusen Logistics said the investment will provide a scalable platform for customers as supply chains become increasingly complex, while improving operational efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
David Evans, managing director of Yusen Logistics UK, said: “The Sustainable Distribution Centre has been developed to meet the evolving needs of customers and global supply chains.
“By bringing together advanced technology, efficient operations and a highly skilled workforce, we are building a future-ready logistics platform that delivers long-term value for our customers while supporting sustainable growth.”
Marks & Spencer is currently developing an automated National Distribution Centre in Northamptonshire, as part of its plans to significantly grow its food business.
Spanning 1.3 million square feet, the new facility will feature advanced automation to significantly enhance operational efficiency and improve product availability on shelves.
Based at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal, the depot is expected to open in 2029.
About 1,000 permanent roles will be created once the site is fully operational, covering driving, logistics, management and more technical roles such as automation technicians.
The new depot will incorporate an automated pallet crane for handling long-life ambient products and a high-speed shuttle system for sorting and storing stock.
There will also be a hands-free picking solution that loads items directly onto store-ready delivery cages.
It will also feature responsibly sourced and recycled building materials; a large-scale rooftop solar panel array; an advanced rainwater harvesting system; EV charging and energy-saving technologies, as well as a vehicle maintenance unit.
Prologis is the development partner and TGW Logistics has been appointed as the automation partner for the project.
The new national distribution centre is expected to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding rating – placing it in the top 1% of sustainable buildings globally and becoming M&S’ flagship warehouse.
Alex Freudmann, MD at M&S Food, said: “Our new site will strengthen our network and help us get ahead of the volume curve as we build a bigger, better food business.
“By using the latest, proven automation, we are future-proofing both our business and UK retail logistics, as well as creating 1,000 jobs permanently on site and 2,000 during the construction phase.”
