Clipper Invests in North East Jobs

Logistics company Clipper has opened a new multi-million pound logistics centre in the North-East, creating hundreds of jobs.

The centre will handle the majority of Asda’s clothing range in its 342,000sq ft purpose-built facility in Wynyard Park, near Billinham and could employ up to 650 people when it is running at full capacity.

It is currently renting half of the processing plant to Asda on a ten-year lease, to enable the supermarket to prepare clothes from the George range for moving to their other three UK distribution centres. The two firms have a longstanding relationship, having worked together since 2006.

So far, Clipper has relocated 100 staff from premises in Darlington and Leeds to work at the plant, and is expecting to hire another 300 in the near future to keep up with the work.

The plant is capable of processing 240 lorry loads of clothes every 24 hours and operates around-the-clock on two shifts.

Clipper said the company had worked with Asda extensively on the project, fitting specialist equipment including 43,000 metres of running rails for clothes and a steam tunnel to remove creases.

The location was hugely important to the company as they import most of their product through Teesport with PD Ports. It is at the heart of our distribution network and has good rail and road links.