North East-headquartered flooring specialist, Connection Retail Ltd., has invested nearly £1m in its in-house transport network as it gears up for further growth.
The £814,000 investment includes the purchase of 10 sprinter vans, adding to the 10 purchased in 2016. The firm, which transports up to 600 deliveries a day, now operates a fleet of 32 vans delivering to 95% of UK postcodes.
Connection Retail Ltd. has also invested in two new trailers and a tractor unit to aid its overnight trunking system and transport orders throughout the UK.
The outlay included the use of regional businesses and local supply chain partners for the fitting of GPS technology, as well as the wrapping and branding of each vehicle. The branding was designed by the firm’s in-house graphic team in the retailer’s signature styles.
As a result, seven new jobs have been created at Connection Retail Ltd., increasing the company’s workforce to nearly 100 employees – with further jobs in the pipeline.
The retailer plans to continue investing in its transport network and further its reach with additional vans and a new delivery hub in the South of England. The growth of Connection Retail Ltd.’s transport network will coincide with the plan of opening further outlets across the country.
Dan Foskett, Managing Director of Connection Retail says “Investing back into the company is incredibly important to us so we can continue to grow and expand at the fantastic rate we have experienced over the last five years. We are now planning to extend our geographical reach and our workforce to meet increased demand, on the back of growing sales.”
Dan added: “Creating our own transport network was a brand new challenge and it is incredible to see how far it has come in such a short period of time. This investment will not only build awareness of our brands but also help us to continue providing an efficient, quick and high quality transport service as we gear up for further growth.”
Established in 2012, Connection Retail Ltd. launched its transport network in early 2014, and now run five depots and a regional hub. It has also developed its own routing and trunking systems, as well as a fully-integrated tracking and POD (Proof of Delivery) system.