Lineage Logistics has inaugurated its South East Superhub in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, just 70 miles from Central London and 120 miles from its Northern Superhub in Heywood near Manchester, England. This investment brings the Novi, Michigan, USA-headquartered company’s total automated warehouse count in the UK to six, with a total of 335,000 automated pallet positions.
Lineage completed the fully-automated warehouse expansion with an additional 45,000 pallet positions in Peterborough, bringing the total capacity to nearly 71,000 pallets. The expanded warehouse creates a strategically-positioned South East Superhub, which will serve both retail and foodservice customers. This 35-meter tall expansion will feature some of the world’s most sophisticated automation and refrigeration technology, helping to reduce energy consumption and the environmental impact of food distribution.
“We are investing in the future of food supply chain across Europe, using the latest technology, data analytics and green solutions to help feed the world in the most efficient way possible,” said Harld Peters, Lineage’s president of operations in Europe. “The Peterborough Superhub is the latest demonstration of our ongoing commitment to UK customers and an indication of our aim to be a leader in this crucial sector across Europe.”
The company is committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions, and achieving this goal goes hand in hand with innovation, which is why the South East Superhub has the latest data-driven solutions to optimize energy use, with precision cooling cycles and full automation to minimize energy leakage.
The combination of traditional capacity in Lineage’s existing facilities on the site, combined with the expansion’s automated design, will enable maximum flexibility and a highly-customized solution for customers.
The South East Superhub launch follows the expansion of Lineage’s Northern Superhub near Manchester, in September 2021, which added 22,000 pallet positions in a state-of-the-art facility. Together, these warehouses serve the main population and economic centers in England, and complement Lineage’s other facilities in the UK, ensuring that food service and retail customers across the country have access to reliable, sustainable and efficient warehouses to store cold and frozen food on the way to the final customer.
“At a time of supply chain volatility, Lineage’s Peterborough Superhub will play a key role in ensuring a reliable food supply in the most densely populated part of the UK,” said Tim Moran, Lineage’s senior vice president for operations in Europe. “Additionally, we’ll be able to meet growing customer demand from both online and conventional grocery sales, an accelerated trend coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the disruption of supplies stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
Lineage Logistics is one of the largest temperature-controlled logistics providers in the UK. At the same time, it has been expanding its network across Europe in recent years, creating a one-stop-shop solution for customers across the continent. This reduces the complexity of moving food between countries, reduces food waste and makes the distribution of food and goods requiring cold storage more efficient.
