Autodoc SE, an online retailer of automotive spare parts and accessories, opened its first UK warehouse in late May, in partnership with logistics service provider Radial, which is becoming part of newly formed third-party logistics (3PL) leader Paxon. With the addition of this 7,200 m² Manchester facility, Autodoc now operates five distribution centres across Europe, serving customers in 27 countries.
“The opening of our Manchester facility marks Autodoc’s evolution from a global webshop to a local powerhouse”, says Dmitri Zadorojnii, CEO of Autodoc. “By establishing this ‘local heartbeat’ in the UK, we are combining our massive scale with the speed and reliability of a domestic partner to serve our UK customers even better in the future.”
Keeping the British drivers moving in a changing market
As one of Europe’s largest automotive aftermarkets, the UK sector is also undergoing a massive transformation. With 42.5 million aging vehicles on the road and rising cost-of-living pressures, more British drivers are turning to DIY maintenance. The economic pressure is accelerating the shift toward online shopping, while growing EV adoption creates a new demand for specific, trustworthy components. Autodoc’s new Manchester facility meets these evolving needs by bridging the digital and local world.
“Our goal is to match the trust and convenience of local household brands, ensuring the right part is delivered with the seamless service British drivers expect”, says Zadorojnii.
A flying start: 1,000 orders in 48 hours
How smoothly this new setup works in practice was demonstrated from day one by the very first live order: At 08:13 on a Tuesday morning, a customer ordered safety-critical brake discs and pads bound for Liverpool. The same day, the order was dispatched from the Manchester hub, and it was delivered by 14:42 on Wednesday — less than 31 hours after the click.
“With 41,000 SKUs already in stock in the UK, everyday orders can be processed and dispatched domestically, making the process faster and more reliable than ever”, says Sebastian Bleser, Senior Vice President Supply Chain at Autodoc. “Manchester is the perfect central location with direct motorway access to every corner of England, Scotland and Wales. Partnering with Radial and leveraging their sophisticated fulfilment infrastructure allows us to bypass the complexities of cross-border logistics and ensure a seamless, highly efficient flow of goods directly to our customers.”
Built for high throughput and future growth
Radial, becoming part of Paxon, manages the logistics at the Manchester site. “We are proud to support Autodoc’s UK expansion by providing warehousing, fulfilment and transportation services that meet customer demand for readily available automotive parts, which can be delivered quickly and efficiently”, says Wayne Chapman, UK CEO of Paxon. “To seamlessly back Autodoc’s massive online catalogue of over 7.8 million parts, we’ve strategically planned inventory management, undertaking extensive data analysis to plan the warehouse set-up, fulfilment throughputs and transport. This ensures we can optimise the storage of high-demand inventory in the UK. During the first 48 hours of operation alone, we successfully processed around 1,000 orders at the new warehouse.”
“The partnership with Autodoc is a brilliant example of how businesses selling high-volumes of SKUs can scale quickly in a new country to satisfy customer demand for speed and convenience.”
The new facility holds a capacity for up to 75,000 SKUs, leaving significant room for development. To guarantee high efficiency, the facility utilises modern warehouse design and semi-automation.
Ultimately, for Autodoc, the Manchester hub is more than just a logistical upgrade — it is the cornerstone of its long-term growth strategy in the UK. Against the backdrop of a transforming market, Europe’s leading online retailer of automotive spare parts and accessories is directly responding to shifting customer habits. By establishing this local infrastructure, Autodoc strengthens its UK market position and expands its European leadership.
