AO expands logistics operation with Crewe warehouse
Online electricals retailer, AO, has opened a new distribution warehouse in Crewe, its third in the town.
This adds 110ksq ft of distribution space, giving the pureplay just under 1,000,000 sq ft in Crewe. AO says that it is on the hunt for more warehouse capacity to manage demand for its products and services.
As well as enabling inbound retail sales, the latest warehouse will also help it to grow its third-party logistics business, whose clients included Aldi, The Cotswold Company, Simba and Keter.
David Ashwell, MD at AO Logistics, says: “This is a great measure of the confidence that our third-party clients have in us. During the Covid-19 pandemic our amazing team has been delivering safely and efficiently, providing a lifeline for AO.com’s customers which in turn, third-party clients have benefitted from.”
“As five years of channel shift from stores to online condensed into five weeks, I’m really proud of how the team has adapted to necessary changes without missing a single day of delivery with record net promoter scores over the last three months.”
The new warehouse has been named after Alan Latchford, a co-founder of DRL, which went on to become AO, who passed away in March.
John Roberts, Founder and CEO, AO, comments: “Alan was on the other side of the famous £1 that led to the creation of AO. On Christmas Eve 1999, he bet me £1 that we couldn’t use the internet to transform how people buy white goods. Twenty years on, the opening of our Latchford warehouse is a lasting tribute to Alan.”
Crewe is also home to AO Logistics’ head office and two distribution centres, Alpha & Omega. AO acquired the company in 2009, and it now offers delivery seven days a week on all items.