Great to visit the DHL Supply Chain site at Manton Wood the other week.
Upon arrival, I was given an introduction to DHL and the new 50,000 square metre site, which was opened in 2020 and employs 400 people.
I was also told about DHL plans to continue investing in the area, with planning permission confirmed for two new sites on the adjoining plot.
Following this, I was given a tour of the site, which maximises pallet and throughput capacity at the site by employing the latest efficient handling systems, ambient storage and automated retrieval systems.
As part of DHL’s commitment to reduce logistics-related emissions to net zero by 2050, the new development features a number of energy-saving innovations that far exceed current regulations for a building of its type, including daylight harvesting, intelligent LED lighting, solar thermal hot water, grey water harvesting for welfare facilities and landscaping irrigation.
As part of the tour, I was also told about DHL’s Driving Ambition programme, which includes a commitment to train 1,000 candidates in 2022, with 300 colleagues due to be upskilled at the Manton Wood site.
It was fun to have a go on DHL’s truck driving simulator, which has been built into the back of a DHL trailer, and enables candidates to complete the first stage of their training. Unfortunately, after a good start, I crashed the back of the trailer into a roundabout 
OOPS!
Jim Hartshorne, Managing Director, Retail & Consumer, said, “We were delighted to show Brendan Clarke-Smith MP our new, state of the art, site. We are committed to investing in the area, and to upskilling our staff at the site via programmes such as our recently launched Driving Ambition scheme”.
