Filshill’s new state-of-the-art Glasgow distribution centre first began construction in 2019. The project was financed by property development business Canmoor, which spent around £8m to customise and build the depot to the wholesaler’s exact specifications.
Filshill was due to begin operating from the site in January 2022. However, the pandemic restrictions and shortages of materials resulted in delays to the build and fit out. Four years on, the wholesaler has just moved in and is full of ambition for the future. By February 2031 it plans to have grown turnover to £350m, from current levels of nearly £200m.
The distribution centre is located on the Westway Business Park by Glasgow Airport: the site is close enough to the runway that it’s possible to see planes taking off and landing from the car park.
On entering the depot, there is a specialist waiting area for click & collect customers. It has a service desk for enquiries, which is connected to the main office, and red banquette seating. The business says it consulted with JJ Foodservice, which has its own click & collect service, before it designed the space.
“We wanted to streamline the process to be as efficient as possible and we have a great relationship with JJ,” says Filshill director Nicholas Hannah. “This is a good example of two businesses in the industry who are not direct competitors working together.”
In total, there is 120,000 sq ft of warehousing space at the site. Although the footprint is similar to Filshill’s Hillington premises, the ceilings at the new distribution centre are significantly higher. Standing at 16 metres tall, the new space provides ample room for the central storage racking, which has the capacity to hold up to 8,650 pallets.
The racking, which cost around £1.2m, is fitted with an innovative semi-automated shuffle system. It means the company’s fastest-selling products can be replenished quickly and efficiently. Investing in technology like this is one way in which Filshill is preparing itself for the next 10 years of growth.
The wholesaler has so far spent around £5m on fitting out the interior of the building, which will be its home for at least the next 25 years after it signed a lease agreement.
“Operating out of these bespoke premises, which have been designed to our exact specification … will improve our efficiency and productivity as we invest in the long-term success of the company, protect future revenue streams and increase customer satisfaction,” says Filshill CEO Simon Hannah.
“Incorporating the high-level skills of our people across the business and the most up-to-date technology and equipment, Westway Park marks the start of a new phase of a journey for the Filshill family that started in Paisley in 1875.”
To service the new system, Filshill has also purchased two stacker cranes to transfer and insert the specialised shuttle into its storage channels, allowing the pallets to be placed in the deepest possible position.
Next to the racking is a four-floor pick tower that has space for over 1,500 pallets. It takes advantage of the depot’s height to further increase capacity and efficiency.
Filshill has also focused on sustainability at the new depot, as it drives towards its goal of becoming a net zero business by 2050. On the roof, there are 211 solar panels, covering over 400 sq metres of space, which will generate a significant amount of clean energy.
It comes as the business reduced its carbon emissions per case delivered by 8% last year.
On the first floor there is a generous office space, which includes meeting rooms and a communal kitchen area. The walls are adorned with phrases the company feels represents its values. These include ‘reputable’, ‘data driven’, ‘forward thinking’ and ’right margins’.
The facilty also includes large joint spaces for its workers. There is a staff canteen on the ground floor that is fitted with booths and colourful seating, as well as coffee and vending machines. It said that since the building had opened, there had been overwhelming demand from employees to come back into the office more regularly.
“While we are disappointed that the pandemic and unforeseen planning issues delayed our move to Westway Park, we are delighted to now be fully operational,” says Simon Hannah.
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