Widdowson appointed Midlands logistics partner to Waitrose

The Widdowson Group, one of the UK’s leading retail logistics specialists, has been nominated as the official Midlands logistics partner to Waitrose.

Although Waitrose has its own dedicated fleet, in the past it has used nominated carriers for delivery and collection work in the North and South of the country. The decision to appoint the Widdowson Group as the first Midlands nominated carrier was made by Kit Woodward, Supply Chain Development Manager for Waitrose.

The contract involves transporting both full and groupage loads to Waitrose distribution centres in Aylesford, Bardon, Bracknell and in Milton Keynes – Brinklow and Celestia.

Large deliveries which make up a full load are taken directly to the appointed distribution centre whilst smaller order collections are driven to one of Widdowson’s Leicester based warehouses. Here the stock is consolidated, marshalled to a particular Waitrose centre and then sent out on a groupage load.

Widdowson’s commercial director, John Hawksworth, comments, "Working with Waitrose, one of the UK’s most highly respected food retailers, is a significant achievement for the Group.

"Our proven and trusted logistics service will match the high levels of quality and value associated with the Waitrose name. We are proud to provide a solution which is not only accurate and on time, but also economically viable."

The Widdowson Group has over 550,000 sq ft of modern warehousing at its Leicester based headquarters. The company’s Transport Division offers national distribution from one pallet to a full load, either on a dedicated, contractual, shared user or ad hoc basis. Widdowson has a modern fleet, in excess of 120 vehicles which extend from panic vans to 44 tonne artics and over 200 trailers.