Menzies Distribution agrees logistics deal with wnDirect
E-commerce delivery business wnDirect has appointed Menzies Distribution as one of its supply chain providers. Menzies drivers will collect packaged orders from wnDirect’s retail customers and deliver these to processing centres in Derbyshire and Kent to be combined for export loads.
The arrangement will start with 12 routes this month. Menzies will then increase its activity until it is handling all of wnDirect’s current range of 60 collection routes by early October.
Forsyth Black, Managing Director of Menzies Distribution, said: “This is a major milestone in our efforts to develop a broader logistics offering, building on the strengths of the press distribution business. The services we will provide wnDirect give us the opportunity to use our network resources during daylight hours, bringing additional revenue into the business and gaining more value from the company’s investment in depots and vans.”
(Menzies’ distribution of daily newspapers is primarily a night-time activity, so its fleet is available for additional work during daylight hours.)
wnDirect, whose customers include well-know e-commerce players like ASOS and Boohoo, started trading in 2011 and now has a turnover of £83m.
Jonathan Matchett, UK Managing Director of wnDirect said: “We were attracted to Menzies because of their established network reach and track record of managing multiple, time-sensitive routes.”
Earlier this year Menzies bought AJG Parcels of Inverness to allow it to enter the growing e-commerce parcel market, specialising in hard-to-reach areas where it will act as a neutral consolidation partner for major parcel carriers.
The company also secured a store distribution deal with WH Smith in 2014 and has been providing similar services for Card Factory since July 2015.
