18
September
2008
|
17:33
Europe/Berlin

Kuehne + Nagel to support new store openings for John Lewis

John Lewis Partnership has selected Kuehne + Nagel as its preferred partner for the provision of logistics support to its new department store opening programme.

The Partnership, a leader in UK retail, is investing in new John Lewis stores in line with its stated growth strategy and plans to reach out to more UK consumers. To support its expansion, Kuehne + Nagel is providing a range of coordinated logistics services leading up to the planned opening of each new department store.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Kuehne + Nagel provides storage for equipment necessary for the fit-out of new stores at its 330,000 sq ft retail support warehouse in Derbyshire. From this site, items including fittings, racks, point of sale display furniture and signage are assembled, consolidated and then delivered to the new store in individual consignments according to the specific department in which they are required.

By ensuring that all consignments are delivered to the right place at the right time in-store, Kuehne + Nagel is able to reduce the amount of time John Lewis teams spend receiving and handling goods on site, thus speeding up the installation process and overall time to opening. Furthermore, Kuehne + Nagel’s off-site consolidation and handling processes result in reduced risk of loss or damage to equipment. 

The solution was implemented initially for new John Lewis store openings in Cambridge towards the end of last year, and Liverpool – now the third largest store in the John Lewis network – in May this year.

Bob Fisher, Manager, Procurement for John Lewis Partnership said, “We chose Kuehne + Nagel for this contract as, not only did they have suitable facilities and appropriate experience, but were also able to demonstrate a detailed understanding of our requirements, which inspired confidence in their ability to deliver what was needed to ensure our new stores open on time with the minimum of fuss.”

Peter Ulber, Chief Executive of Kuehne + Nagel, North West Europe, commented, “Kuehne + Nagel provides a diverse range of support services, which meet the more bespoke needs of our retail customers very successfully. We are proud to be working closely with John Lewis Partnership at this exciting time of expansion for the company.”