Aycliffe family-run firm Stiller Warehousing and Distribution is investing £2m in a new distribution centre which could create up to 25 new jobs. Stiller is building the new 50,000 sq ft facility at its 22-acre site on Aycliffe Business Park to help the firm cope with sustained growth which has seen annual sales rise by more than 20% to £14.4m.
The palletised distribution centre will be the largest of its type in the North East and will allow Stiller to load 30 vehicles at any one time.
The scheme, by Darlington firm Wharton Construction, will also create more than 60 off-street car parking spaces and include a new large open-plan office for over 20 office staff.
Stillers have lready taken on 26 new employees this year, and this expansion could create up to 25 new jobs, which would take Stiller’s head count to 190.
Stiller’s existing distribution operation is run from one of the firm’s older warehouses and the new development will enable Stiller to create more warehousing space as well as upgrading it.
Managing director Matthew Stiller explained: “Moving the distribution side of the business to its new home will enable us to cope with the rate of growth we’re currently experiencing. It will also mean we’ll no longer have trucks running through one of our larger warehouses, but it will also give us the opportunity to develop what is now being used as a distribution centre into extra warehousing space, while upgrading it to a higher standard.
Stiller’s new distribution centre will take up five acres of the firm’s 22-acre site at Ridgeway on Aycliffe Business Park.
As well as Wharton Construction, Darlington-based ADG Architects, Durham civil engineers BDN and PTS Demolition of Shildon are all involved in the project, as well as Aycliffe-based John Wade Group and SCH Site Services.
Matthew said: “There are several other sub-contractors based on Aycliffe Business Park we’re extremely pleased to be working with on the project. It is our ambition to support local jobs, so we’re always steered towards using local companies.
Matthew added: “Our growth this year has been down to winning new contracts in both sides of the business and a general uplift in our pallet network system, Palletline, a national co-operative which is experiencing growth.
“The number of pallets we’re distributing around the North-East region is picking up, and on the warehousing side we have won significant new business in 2017.”
Stiller provides cost-effective warehousing and distribution services to businesses in the North-East region as well as commercial property lettings and is also a member and major shareholder in Palletline, a national co-operative network of 70 companies.
The Aycliffe site stores goods and parts for national brands as well as local businesses including Gestamp and 3M. More about Stiller can be found at www.stiller.co.uk
