Lidl has opened its largest UK distribution centre after a £55 million investment to create a site in Southampton the size of 10 football pitches.
The 39,000m² site is the discounter’s 10th regional distribution centre (RDC) and will create 400 new jobs for the local economy. It will supply stores in and around Hampshire, Dorset and West Sussex, and support Lidl’s expanding operations in the south of England.
Regional director at Lidl UK, Marco Ivone,said: “The opening of our new Southampton RDC marks an incredibly exciting time for the business, particularly in the south.”
The move is part of a £1.5 billion expansion investment between 2015-18, with two additional warehouse under construction, along with expansion of four existing warehouses.
Ivone added: “Not only is it necessary to accommodate the scale of our existing and future operations in the area, we have been able to create significant job opportunities as a result of the new warehouse and will continue to invest in the south as we move forward with our expansion plans.”
Lidl has depots in nine other locations up and down the country, including Northfleet, Enfield, Belvedere, Livingston, Weston-Super-Mare, Lutterworth, Newton Aycliffe, Runcorn and Bridgend.
The new RDC includes state-of-the-art sustainability technology, including energy efficient mechanical and electrical equipment, heat recovery systems and renewable and other zero-carbon technologies.
