E-Malt.com News article: UK: Supply chain specialist Gist extends Carlsberg UK partnership

As part of the extended contract with Carlsberg UK Supply chain specialist Gist will be opening and managing a new regional distribution centre (RDC) in Leeds, UK Drinks Business Review communicated on February 8.

The new RDC will manage stock arriving from the Carlsberg brewery in Leeds and serve trade customers in the north of the UK. As a result of a growing take home market increasing sales, Carlsberg is boosting its packaging and distribution capacity. The opening of the new RDC in Leeds follows the installation of a new bottling plant and the forthcoming installation of a new canning facility at the Leeds brewery.

Gist has worked in partnership with Carlsberg since 1999 and currently transports 4 million barrels of beer and 1.4 million cans a year for the brewer.

The Leeds RDC complements Carlsberg's existing distribution center in Northampton, also managed by Gist. Bottles and cans from Leeds will be transported by Gist onto supermarket networks, independent retailers, cash & carries and wholesalers across northern England and Scotland.

To manage the 13,470sq meter warehouse and additional distribution operation, Gist is employing 48 new staff. As well as receiving product from the breweries this warehouse team will also be responsible for verification checks, order pick up and consolidation, dealing with returns and loading up export containers for Carlsberg's Tetley beer.

Commenting on the contract, Carlsberg's logistics director Andrew Caswell said, "Carlsberg UK and Gist have created an effective partnership over the years and as such it is natural that the new contract includes the management of our flagship take-home distribution depot in Leeds."


10 February, 2006