Retail customer story: Kuehne+Nagel

Kuehne+Nagel is one of the world's leading logistics companies, founded in Germany in 1890. Its joint venture with Drinkflow Logistics provides world-class distribution capability to various sectors of the UK drinks industry and international operators. Kuehne+Nagel needed a new distribution facility in place before the 2014 World Cup to service and support major retailers and grocers across the UK. The brands that would be stored in the Derby facility included John Smiths, Bulmers and the world's most valuable beer brand, Heineken.

Challenge

Kuehne+Nagel needed to ensure the Drinkflow Logistics facility was fully operational prior to the 2014 World Cup, which would see UK drink sales increase by 4%. This meant the facility had to be complete and handed over to the customer in a much shorter timeframe than a development of this size and scale. The project required detailed planning consent, along with construction of the building and its internal fit out. All of these stages were comprehensively reviewed to identify where time savings could be made.

Solution

Goodman drew upon their long-standing relationship with the local planning department to secure a detailed planning consent in half of the statutory minimum time period.

Goodman adopted a collaborative working arrangement with the customer and the contractor to design and build the 54,768 sqm warehouse and 1,352 sqm office. Goodman, the contractor and Kuehne+Nagel Drinkflow Logistics set up a working group, with regular site meetings to specifically manage this project. The team were based on-site so they could make timely decisions so that neither the quality or programme timeframe were compromised. The contractor was selected specifically based on their experience of delivering similar facilities within tight timeframes and the build contract was negotiated rather than tendered so that works could commence as soon as planning consent was issued.

Results

This collaborative work regime virtually eliminated delays and meant that the distribution centre was completed in March 2014, following a 34-week construction programme. This enabled the customer to enjoy early access for fit-out and training. This is also the city of Derby's largest ever pre-let and will create approximately 450 jobs.

• BREEAM Very Good and 'A' rated energy performance certification.
• Rainwater harvesting, providing grey-water flushing to the toilets and a sustainable drainage system that drains the remaining surface water into the adjacent river Derwent.
• The need for a highly insulated and air-tight building negated frost-protection heating.