TNT to develop “super-depot” in South-West England

Express carrier TNT is investing £15.5m in a new “super-depot” in South West England.

 The company said the facility planned for Swindon should mean quicker delivery times for customers as well as greater capacity for TNT’s UK network.

The South-West Depot and Regional Sortation Centre will be located on the South Marston Industrial Estate.

It will have a “state-of-the-art” sorting machine, more than 100 loading bays accommodating 40 long-haul trailers and various pick-up and delivery trucks.

The project is expected to create up to 250 jobs, including drivers, loading bay operatives and other roles in operational support.

“Coupled with TNT’s £35million investment in its fleet of vehicles, the new Swindon sortation centre will enable us to cut delivery times as well as relieving some of the burden on our depots that serve areas around Exeter, Bodmin, Bristol, Reading, Slough, Southampton and Byfleet,” said Simon Harper, director of operations at TNT UK.

“Efficiently pre-sorting shipments going to our main sorting hubs in the Midlands will also mean earlier deliveries to our customers throughout the UK. It is also great news for the region because we are bringing up to 250 job opportunities to add to The People Network that is TNT.”

TNT said the new facility in Swindon should also bring environmental benefits in reducing the length of journeys for vehicles in the local area.

Estimates suggest long-haul trucks will cut journeys by 690,000 miles, reducing associated emissions by up to 815 tonnes per year.

Netherlands-based integrator TNT delivers more than 150m items a year in the UK, with 8,000 employees and 3,500 vehicles operating across 70 sites.