17 February, 2026

Corby Logistics Hub Showcases Innovation During VIP Visit

Posted on 17 February, 202617 February, 2026 by Will Priestman

When Lee Barron MP stepped inside Europa Warehouse’s flagship Corby facility recently, he wasn’t just touring another warehouse – he was gaining a unique insight into state-of-the-art logistics, which has become a vital part of UK supply chains.

Europa Warehouse is the 3PL division of independent operator Europa Worldwide Group. Its senior team welcomed the MP for Corby and East Northamptonshire to its award-winning site to showcase how continued investment in people, technology and infrastructure is driving growth for its customers.

Celebrating almost six years since opening its doors, Europa’s Corby warehouse now employs 170 local people and has become a benchmark operation within the UK 3PL landscape, with its award-winning facility and team. It sits at the heart of the UK’s ‘Golden Logistics Triangle’ and spans 715,000 sq. ft., the equivalent of seven Premier League football pitches and offers more than 100,000 pallet locations.

Designed to deliver the scalability and flexibility demanded by today’s supply chains, Europa Warehouse supports a growing number of national and international brands.

The facility has continued with sustained investments in new technology alongside flexible manual solutions, enabling it to meet changing customer requirements while maintaining service quality and operational efficiency.

Lee Barron MP joined Clare Bottle, Chief Executive of the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA), for a tour of the warehouse, gaining a first-hand look at how the unit operates.

Europa Warehouse is an active member of UKWA, which facilitated the visit and is Britain’s leading trade organisation dedicated to the warehousing sector. Most recently, Europa has been supporting key initiatives such as UKWA’s Young People Advisory Board as well as professional training, with its team undertaking brand-new UKWA-developed qualifications.

These are set to become industry-recognised standards, helping to drive professionalism across the sector.

During the tour, Europa highlighted the role of continued advanced technology in modern warehousing, including the use of autonomous inventory solutions.

Most recently, Europa has taken delivery of the latest technology from British robotics specialist Dexory. A new fully autonomous, AI-powered robot, manufactured in Oxfordshire, which is capable of scanning warehouse environments up to 46 feet high, capturing real-time inventory and operational data far faster than a manual process. The technology is designed to simplify storage management, improve accuracy and keep supply chains moving, while supporting the creation of skilled operational roles in the warehouse.

Commenting on the visit, Lee Barron MP said:

It was a pleasure to meet the team at Europa Warehouse and gain valuable insight into how their operation works. It was particularly encouraging to meet the next generation of professionals looking to build careers in the logistics sector, including those attending the UKWA Young People Advisory Board, and, as someone who took the apprenticeship route into work, it is exciting to see how well the apprentices are doing at Europa Corby. I was also impressed by Europa’s commitment to creating an environment where its team can thrive and continue driving a successful, modern logistics operation.

Sally Watson, Head of Sales and Customer Care at Europa Warehouse, said

We were delighted to welcome Lee to the site and demonstrate the role our people and operations play in supporting customers. We’re proud to have created such a flagship logistics hub and demonstrate how we are investing in our people as well as new technology to continue to enhance performance for our customers.

Clare Bottle, Chief Executive of UKWA, added:

We work closely with Europa, and I would like to thank the team for hosting this visit at the company’s state-of-the-art warehouse in Corby. We look forward to our continued working partnership with Europa in driving forward industry initiatives to support improved training and the work of our Young People Advisory Board.

Europa Warehouse offers a comprehensive range of value-added services, including ecommerce fulfilment, inventory management, packing and labelling.

Across its three sites, Europa’s combined warehousing portfolio exceeds one million sq. ft. and includes fully authorised bonded customs warehousing for both wet and dry goods, and the coveted AA British Retail Consortium accreditation.

As part of Europa Worldwide Group, warehouse customers also benefit from direct access to the company’s road, air and sea freight divisions, enabling true end-to-end supply chain management – a capability that continues to set the business apart in an increasingly complex logistics environment.

Packaging Facility Upgrades to Real-Time Digital Platform

Posted on 17 February, 202617 February, 2026 by Will Priestman

Contract packing, storage and fulfilment business Complete Co‑packing, has announced its partnership with Nulogy at Packaging Innovations 2026. The Welsh firm has chosen Nulogy’s Shop Floor Solution to power the digitalisation of its production environment and strengthen agility, visibility, and service levels for its brand partners and growing business.

With over 30 years’ experience meeting customers’ outsourcing demands across food, drink, household and specialist markets, Complete Co‑packing recognised the need for a modern, purpose‑built digital platform to replace manual and legacy systems to unlock real‑time operational transparency at its site in Abercynon, Wales.

Nulogy’s Shop Floor software, designed specifically for contract packers and manufacturers, was chosen for its ability to optimise operations across production, labour, materials and inventory. Nulogy’s real‑time visibility, paperless quality control, inventory accuracy, and dynamic production planning, are helping teams “ditch the spreadsheets and automate workflows” to strengthen performance, throughput, and traceability.

Complete Co‑packing offers an extensive portfolio of services including contract manufacturing within segregated clean rooms and open packing areas. Services include mixing and blending of powders and liquids for a wide range of products and pack formats. In addition, the business provides after-packing services for food and non-food items for sectors such as personal care, cosmetic, pet care and more.

As customers increasingly demand rapid turnaround, improved traceability and robust audit trails, the move to Nulogy will provide a scalable solution to support the company’s continued expansion.

Stephen Nicholls, MD at Complete Co‑packing, said:

Digitalisation is essential to deliver the speed, quality, and accuracy our customers expect and to manage increasing volumes and SKU complexity. Nulogy’s Shop Floor platform will give us real‑time control of our production processes and inventory, enabling us to respond faster, minimise risk, and support our next stage of growth.

Nulogy’s solution will replace a legacy stock management system and spreadsheets with digitalised workflows that capture production in real time, from material scanning

and labour tracking to quality checks and job throughput across both manufacturing and packing projects. Supervisors and management will be able to use live dashboards and information to improve job status visibility, enable rapid identification of issues, and strengthen decision‑making.

The implementation project will begin in early 2026, with full deployment planned across Complete Co‑packing’s Abercynon facilities.

Josephine Coombe, Chief Commercial Officer for Nulogy Europe, commented:

We are delighted to welcome Complete Co‑packing to the growing community of UK contract packers powered by Nulogy. As brands demand higher levels of quality, traceability, and responsiveness, digitalisation is a key competitive advantage. Nulogy’s purpose-built platform ensures co-packers can operate with the speed, accuracy, and efficiency required in today’s market.

DHL Secures European EV Logistics Contract

Posted on 17 February, 202617 February, 2026 by Will Priestman

NIO, a global smart electric vehicle company, has chosen DHL as logistics partner for its European aftermarket services. This includes both, NIO premium models and the brand-new firefly brand, offering premium compact electric vehicles for urban mobility. From the DHL automotive campus in Holtum, The Netherlands, DHL will manage storage, distribution, and customs clearance of parts and accessories for customers across Northwestern Europe.

The partnership underscores The Netherlands role as a fast-growing logistics hub for the European EV market. DHL’s automotive campus, strategically located near major European transport corridors, provides NIO with fast delivery times and flexible capacity. To achieve this, DHL used the combined expertise of DHL Supply Chain, DHL Global Forwarding, and DHL Freight to provide an integrated supply chain solution.

NIO is known for their innovative concepts such as Power Swap Stations and NIO Houses, including a flagship store on Leidsestraat in Amsterdam. With DHL as a new partner, NIO is building a strong ecosystem across Europe, driven by innovation and local expertise and aligned with its long-term vision and sustainability ambition. The company also strengthens its logistics foundation to further enhance its user experience and to support the development of a resilient, future ready ecosystem for electric mobility.

Thijs Meijling, Head of NIO Europe Business:

Europe is at the heart of NIO’s journey. To deliver on our promise of a truly user-centric experience, we rely on strong partnerships with Europe’s best. With DHL, we gain a global logistics player whose dense network enables us to react quickly and flexibly to our users’ needs in aftersales services – from warehousing to distribution. This collaboration is another milestone in building NIO’s European ecosystem, where innovation, design and sustainability come together to set new standards for mobility.

Franz Riedlberger, Director Procurement at NIO added:

This partnership reflects a strong alignment in operational standards, quality expectations, and long-term vision. Together with DHL, we have established a logistics setup that supports efficiency, scalability and reliability – all essential as we continue to grow our presence in Europe and enhance the experience for our users.

Rik van den Broeck, Business Unit Director South East at DHL Supply Chain, said:

We are proud that NIO has chosen DHL. This collaboration reflects our shared ambition to accelerate sustainable mobility. With our automotive campus in Holtum and our specialized expertise in the automotive sector, we can support NIO with efficient and future-ready logistics.

Fathi Tlatli, Global Auto Mobility Sector President at DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation, commented:

Partnering with NIO underscores the momentum we see across the electric mobility ecosystem and reflects our commitment to supporting the next generation of sustainable transport. With DHL’s proven expertise in EV logistics and our global network of specialists, we provide compliant, cost-efficient, and future ready supply chain solutions that enable innovative players like NIO to scale their European footprint with confidence.

New Cold Chain Platform and Infrastructure Launched

Posted on 17 February, 202616 February, 2026 by Will Priestman

Morrison Global announces establishment of Polaris, an APAC cold chain platform, through the completion of the acquisition of SuperFreeze Singapore, a Singapore-based cold chain logistics provider serving the food & beverage and pharmaceutical sectors. The acquisition includes an automated cold storage facility in Tuas, SuperFreeze Tuas (SFT).

Singapore’s heavy reliance on imported food – and the refrigerated storage it requires – combined with its role as a major transshipment hub, continues to drive robust, sustained demand for cold storage capacity. Structural constraints in industrial land allocation have reinforced a persistent shortage of modern facilities.

William Smales, Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Morrison, said:

Morrison is committed to investing in the essential infrastructure that underpins resilient, modern economies. With demand for highly automated cold-chain capacity continuing to outpace supply across the Asia-Pacific region, our investment in SuperFreeze positions us to help close that gap and establish a scalable, best-in-class platform. It reflects our strong conviction in Singapore and our ambition to lead the evolution of the cold chain logistics sector across the region.

Rajiv Khakhar, Executive Director at Morrison, said:

Cold storage logistics play a vital role in enabling regional APAC trade through the storage and transshipment of temperature-sensitive goods, while also ensuring stable food and pharmaceutical supply in high import-dependent economies. We look forward to working with the management team to unlock strategic opportunities across Asia and deliver significant long-term value by addressing a critical, enduring local societal need.

Troy Shortell, CEO of the platform, added:

This acquisition represents a natural progression in our growth journey and further strengthens our mission to transform critical cold supply chain infrastructure across the region. Building on an already solid foundation, SuperFreeze is now even better positioned to expand our network of advanced cold logistics facilities that leverage high-efficiency refrigeration and distributed energy systems to further reduce our carbon impact. Morrison’s deep expertise in global infrastructure and financial strength reinforces our long-term commitment to leading the transition toward a more sustainable cold chain — increasing food and pharmaceutical availability while preventing waste and minimizing our environmental footprint.

The Chilled Hub

Posted on 17 February, 202617 February, 2026 by David Priestman

Ground-breaking is an everyday phrase that is usually meant metaphorically. But it was literally the case when David Priestman witnessed the commencement of a new distribution centre at Daventry’s international rail freight terminal logistics park in Northamptonshire in January.

Farmer-owned dairy cooperative Arla Foods and XPO Logistics have extended their strategic partnership by creating a future-ready, resilient chilled foods operation – through a 285,000 sq.ft. new UK national or central distribution centre (CDC) that will handle all Arla’s British chilled palletised products.

Currently under development at Prologis’s vast intermodal DIRFT complex, which is adjacent to the M1 and M6 motorways plus the west coast railway mainline, the new facility will bring Arla’s chilled dairy products (cheese, butter, yoghurts), into a single, centralised location. “It’s the most established warehouse location in the UK,” Phil Oakley, SVP, Prologis UK, told me. DHL, Tesco, GXO, Bleckmann and Sainsbury’s have DCs here already. This new development aims to strengthen Arla’s supply chain resilience, reduce road freight miles and support more efficient distribution across Britain.

Fran Ball, SVP UK Supply Chain for Arla Foods UK, commented:

Consolidating our chilled pallet operations into a single, advanced facility in Northamptonshire is a strategic leap forward for Arla. By partnering with XPO Logistics and Prologis, we are improving the resilience of a critical part of our supply chain and making meaningful progress on reducing waste and road miles.

Cold Pallets

XPO Logistics is project managing the delivery of the CDC and will operate the site from late 2027, when it becomes operational, thus making this a fast construction and quick implementation. As part of a continued, long-term partnership, XPO is supporting Arla beyond day-to-day operations, bringing expertise in transformation, automation and scalable operating design. The new CDC will create around 400 new jobs.

Investment in automation, via systems integrator Dematic, will create skilled warehousing roles, including automation operations, maintenance, quality, inventory control, safety and management. Appropriate training and upskilling for advanced automation will be provided by XPO as part of the recruitment and onboarding process. The CDC will have 40000 pallet locations and 850 pick faces in the picking tunnels. It will make extensive use of Movu’s ‘Atlas’ 4D pallet shuttle. “Each shuttle is an individual unit, so it is scalable,” says Dan Myers, Senior Vice President, Dedicated Supply Chain – Europe, XPO Logistics. “We can add shuttles at peak periods.”

Human Leagues

One of the challenges with cold stores is maximising space utilisation. “Chill as little as possible,” Myers advises. “Arla stands for quality; their products are loved and trusted by households. This future-ready CDC is designed to handle projected growth and will play a key role in ensuring that Arla continues to deliver great products whilst improving the resilience, sustainability, and efficiency of its supply chain. Working together, we’re driving positive strategic change which will support Arla’s business to continue to prosper today and tomorrow.”

I asked Myers about the challenges of recruitment. “You can hire people, of course,” he replied. “Growing 10% a year means we’re people-based, so the challenge is recruiting enough staff. Our values are important.” As well as training and a vocational approach XPO offer a benefits package.

Pride in the Facility

The new CDC is being constructed to meet BREEAM outstanding accreditation and an EPC A* rating. At 22.5m high and with 48 dock doors, the CDC will have a PV solar array to bolster its power supply. “This will generate a surplus of electricity, and the logistics park has ample energy as well,” Oakley told me. “Partnerships and developments like this play an important role in creating long term economic value, helping to attract investment and underpin jobs across the region,” he added. “At DIRFT, we’ve built a community with the capacity and skills to support high-performing logistics operations like this one.” It’s the company’s second largest logistics park in the world and features walking routes, sports facilities and green spaces.

Most DIRFT warehouse occupiers make use of the rail connectivity, which is a distinct advantage of this location. XPO will utilise the west coast mainline to move products to and from Scotland, where Arla has another major hub (for UHT and lactose-free milk). “Rail freight is optional here,” Oakley stated. “The capacity is there and will increase once HS2 (high-speed rail) is complete,” which is between three and seven years away. “More places to offload rail containers are needed, however.” For every rail service used 70-80 lorries are taken off the roads, so it should be a win-win.

I asked Oakley if Prologis have finally run out of space at DIRFT. “We have 1.8 million sq.ft. left to develop, making a total of 8 million sq.ft. on the park,” he informed me. “This is the third phase. Land is prepared and has planning consent.” Some new ‘on-spec’ warehousing will be ready this summer. Get it while you can.

Cold Pallets

Human Leagues

Pride in the Facility

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