Saint-Gobain UK awards £7 million logistics contract to Wincanton

The agreement, worth £7 million over three years, extends Wincanton's nine-year relationship with Saint-Gobain, whose products range from simple valves and fittings to large diameter water pipes, big enough for a man to stand inside, for the UK water industry. Wincanton will use sub-contractors for all long-distance product movements and its in-house fleet for trunking operations. By rationalising its distribution processes, Wincanton expects to increase load fill per vehicle, and raise the number of multi-drop customer deliveries. A new consolidation centre in West Thurrock will complement Wincanton's Ilkeston site and improve service to Saint-Gobain's customer base in the South East, which comprises around 80% of orders. Saint-Gobain's site director Andy Burnham says: "We continue to be impressed by Wincanton's flexible and innovative approach to adding value and enhancing customer service. Our companies share similar cultures and aspirations, and we are delighted to be extending our business partnership." Chris Kingshott (pictured), managing firector for manufacturing at Wincanton, said: "At Wincanton we believe it's possible to achieve efficiency savings and increase productivity for our customers without compromising the quality of our overall service offering. This contract renewal is testament to the strength of our business relationship with Saint-Gobain as a key supplier to the UK water industry."