DHL to close Coventry depot serving Sainsbury's

DHL is to close its Coventry depot, which it runs on behalf of retailer J Sainsbury, in a move that places 550 jobs at risk.

The logistics giant plans to transfer the garment operations currently undertaken at Coventry  for the retailer to another of its sites in Bedford.

A DHL spokeswoman says: “In support of Sainsbury’s planned expansion of its UK clothing operation, the company is proposing to transfer its clothing volumes for both boxed and hanging items to its larger Bedford depot, capable of accommodating the significant increase in clothing volumes forecast."

Affected staff have been advised of the plan and will shortly enter consultation with the company and elected representatives to discuss their options, adds the spokesperson.

Options include transferring to other DHL operations in the area, and moving to the Bedford facility or other sites in the Sainsbury network.