Wincanton

Wincanton has secured two new distribution contracts: a five-year deal with military equipment supplier General Dynamics UK and a three-year contract renewal with Adidas.

The General Dynamics deal extends a relationship it has held with Wincanton since 2006, which involves inventory management, storage and dispatch of Bowman secure communications equipment used by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The new part of the contract will involve transport of both TCIS (tactical communication infrastructure system) and Bowman systems- up to around 12,000 pieces of equipment a month. It will aim to meet the MoD’s one-hour pick and pack target for priority items.

Wincanton’s MD for manufacturing, Chris Kingshott, said of the deal: “This new contract is testament to the depth of our experience and expertise in defence sector logistics. We work closely with General Dynamics UK and are a trusted partner, consistently providing savings through lean operations and continuous business process improvements.”

The win follows a three-year contract renewal with Adidas, covering the distribution of sportswear and accessories within the UK and Ireland.

The deal involves delivering sports kits to football clubs and sporting events such as the London Marathon.  It is also responsible for one-off deliveries to athletes and collecting products from docks or railheads in Manchester, Widnes and Liverpool for delivery into the customer’s Manchester DC or retailers’ DCs.

The firm uses a core fleet to service the contract which it is able to increase for seasonal spikes during the year.

“We have a very strong relationship with Adidas and this really is the key to ensuring a successful partnership. We understand the pressures of their sector and the demands of their customers and can therefore design solutions that support their business and add value,” Kingshott said.

Kitchen supplier Howdens Joinery recently chose Wincanton to manage its transport sites.