Marks & Spencer is set to create 600 jobs after agreeing a deal to acquire a major new logistics warehouse in Staffordshire as part of plans to expand its online fashion business.<\/p>\n
The retailer has struck a conditional \u00a367.5m deal to take over a 437,000 sq ft automated distribution centre in Lichfield, formerly occupied by ASOS. The site is expected to become operational in 2027 and will form part of M&S\u2019 24\/7 logistics network.<\/p>\n
M&S said the new hub would play a key role in its long-term ambition to double online sales in its Fashion, Home and Beauty division by increasing capacity, speeding up deliveries and improving stock availability.<\/p>\n
The warehouse will process online fashion orders and support later customer cut-off times, while allowing more sizes and styles to be stocked across the business.<\/p>\n
John Lyttle, managing director of Fashion, Home and Beauty at Marks & Spencer, said: \u201cAs we transform M&S Fashion, Home and Beauty, our ambition is to double online sales. To achieve this and serve our customers faster, more efficiently and with better availability, our 24\/7 distribution network needs more capacity.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve always said that we\u2019ll deliver our transformation with highly disciplined capital investment, always mindful of spending shareholder money wisely. This acquisition does just that, delivering tangible business benefits that move our transformation forward, at a much lower cost compared to a new build option.\u201d<\/p>\n
The move is part of a wider supply chain overhaul at M&S as it looks to accelerate growth and improve profitability across its clothing and home operations.<\/p>\n
The retailer said shortening the journey from supplier to customer remained a major focus of its transformation strategy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Retailer has snapped up a 437,000 sq ft distribution centre in a \u00a367.5m deal as it looks to supercharge its online fashion operations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":266702,"featured_media":2111611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47995],"coauthors":[127717],"class_list":["post-2111607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-retail","tag-greater-birmingham","tag-top-story"],"yoast_head":"\n