Wolseley UK, the country’s leading distributer of plumbing and heating products, has entered into a supply chain partnership with CHEP, the leading provider of pallet and container pooling solutions, that will improve safety and deliver significant supply chain benefits throughout its nationwide operations. 
Central to the deal will be Wolseley UK’s implementation of CHEP’s industry-standard B1210A pallets (1200x1000mm) throughout its network of five distribution centres and 768 branches across the UK. In addition, Wolseley UK will offer its suppliers the opportunity to implement CHEP’s industry-standard pallet for shipments into the business.
Safety is a key factor behind Wolseley UK’s decision to form this new partnership with CHEP. In a recent 12-month period, Wolseley observed that sub-standard pallets within its network had caused 30% of all lost-time incidents (LTIs) and 80% of reported near-misses.
Commenting on these statistics, John Rogers, National Distribution Centre Manager, Wolseley UK said: “We take safety extremely seriously and continuously review, assess and improve to keep risk to the absolute minimum. Implementing CHEP’s industry-standard pallets throughout our supply chain network will undoubtedly have a massive impact in making Wolseley UK a safer workplace for everyone.”
As well as the safety benefits, Wolseley UK anticipates the introduction of a pallet standard will also drive significant operational benefits which will reduce its supply chain costs throughout its network. The partnership will also allow Wolseley to leverage CHEP’s supply chain expertise thanks to ongoing account management with a view to develop a joint business plan for further initiatives aimed at improving supply chain efficiency.
CHEP UK & Ireland Managing Director, Rod Francis is delighted with the new partnership: “CHEP continues to develop partnerships with key organisations in the construction sector. This latest partnership is testament to the synergies that exist between CHEP and Wolseley. The introduction of a pallet standard can deliver significant benefits at many levels, and I’m looking forward to seeing these develop for Wolseley, as well as seeking out additional opportunities where we can work together to build a better construction supply chain.”
About CHEP
CHEP is a global provider of supply chain solutions serving the consumer goods, fresh food, beverage, manufacturing and retail sectors in more than 60 countries. CHEP offers a wide range of logistics and operational platforms and support services that are designed to increase performance and lower risk while improving environmental sustainability. CHEP’s 11,500-plus employees and more than 275 million pallets and containers deliver comprehensive coverage and exceptional value, supporting more than 500,000 customer touch-points for global brands such as Procter & Gamble, Sysco, and Nestlé. CHEP is part of the Brambles Group, the operator of a portfolio that includes IFCO, the leading provider of Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) to the fresh food supply chain globally, as well as specialist container solutions providers to the automotive, aerospace and oil and gas sectors. For more information, visit chep.com.
About Wolseley UK
Wolseley UK is the UK’s leading plumbing and heating distributer, supplying 180,000 different products to over 100,000 customers every year. Its market-leading brands, which operate from more than 900 trade counters across the UK, include Plumb and Parts Center, Pipe Center, Climate Center and Burdens. Wolseley UK’s extensive branch network is matched by an unrivalled daily delivery service from five distribution centres in Melmerby, Worcester, Milton Keynes, Measham and Royal Leamington Spa. The company invests heavily in people through a company-wide training structure and offers an award-winning pension and rewards package. For more information, please visit www.wolseley.co.uk.
Wolseley UK is the UK operating company of Wolseley plc, the world’s largest specialist distributer of plumbing and heating products. It supplies 1.1 million customers with 1 million products carefully sourced from approximately 60,000 suppliers. Group revenue for the year ended 31 July 2015 was £13,300 million and trading profit was £857 million.
For further information, please contact:
Michael Potts,
Marketing Manager, CHEP UK & Ireland,
Telephone: (0161) 9302660
Email: michael.potts@chep.com
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