Morrisons is to open a third Primary Consolidation Centre (PCC) in partnership with Bibby Distribution.
The new centre, to be located in Kent, will expand the Bibby Distribution-Morrisons PCC network as the logistics firm helps Britain’s fourth largest supermarket boost its inventory efficiency.
The new 10,000-pallet capacity PCC will receive regular deliveries from suppliers in South-East England, and will complement the two PCCs Bibby Distribution operates for Morrisons in Corby and Yeadon, covering the Midlands and north of England respectively.
Kevin Yapp, general manager for primary distribution at Morrisons, said: “The PCC model that has been developed specifically for us by Bibby Distribution has already delivered substantial benefits at the first two PCCs, which have been in operation since April 2013. The time is now right to expand out to a new region. Once all five planned PCCs are open by mid-2015, we expect to have taken out £20 million of inventory while improving on-shelf availability.”
Once consolidated at the new centre, an advanced software system developed by Bibby Distribution for Morrisons will help create full multi-vendor loads, which can be taken to regional distribution centres across the country. The result should then be that Morrisons supermarkets will benefit from ‘little and often’ deliveries, in keeping with customer buying habits, and Morrisons can optimise its delivery centre use, slashing operating costs.
The partnership also allows Morrisons to drive its InMotion programme, which increases backhaul revenue for the retailer. The use of PCCs means Morrisons can use its own vehicles returning to distribution centres to collect loads from suppliers at backhaul rates rather than factory-gate pricing, driving down costs while boosting fleet utilisation. 'That, in turn,' a spokesperson for the retailer said, 'slashes food miles and carbon emissions per tonne moved, reducing Morrisons’ environmental impact at no extra financial cost.'
Bibby Distribution then supports Morrisons by providing additional trucks as and when required, and costs are further cut because the PCCs are located as close as possible to suppliers.
Ian Firth, Bibby Distribution divisional development director, said: “We’ve worked extremely closely with Morrisons to ensure they have the right solution. We’ve created their PCC model from scratch, helping support the deployment of their other programmes. We’re delighted to have developed the physical solution that makes the most of Morrisons’ existing and developing technology, and to have given them the security and peace of mind to benefit from future delivery network investment.”
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