Stiller's new £2m distribution centre will create new jobs for the North

Newton Aycliffe family-run firm, Stiller Warehousing and Distribution is investing £2m in a new distribution centre.

It could eventually create up to 25 new jobs, and will comprise of a 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 per cent 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.

Managing director, Matthew Stiller, commented: “Moving the distribution side of the business to its new home is primarily to enable us to better 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.

“We’re looking to improve our storage facilities and bring them all up to the standard of the new warehouses we’ve invested in over the last few years.”

The scheme, which is being project managed by Darlington firm, Wharton Construction, will also create more than 60 off-street car parking spaces and include a new open-plan office for over 20 office staff.

The new development will enable Stiller to create more warehousing space within its current distribution centre as well as upgrading it.

Stiller’s latest investment in equipment, people and facilities – including two new warehouses costing more than £1.8m between them – takes the company’s total spend to almost £9m in the last three years.

More than £1.1m was spent on a new 40,000 sq ft warehouse in 2015, increasing the company’s warehousing capacity to 200,000 sq ft, and last year it invested another £750k in a 40,000 sq ft extension, which was completed earlier this year, while more than £5m has been spent on new vehicles in that time.

Stiller’s new distribution centre will take up five acres of the firm’s 22-acre site at Ridgeway on Aycliffe Business Park, and its construction is also supporting local jobs.

Stiller continued: “There are several other sub-contractors based on Aycliffe Business Park we’re extremely pleased to be working with on the project.

“It has seriously been very much our ambition to support local jobs, so we’re always steered towards using local companies.

“We’re building this on a piece of land which is currently underdeveloped. This will take a big stride towards our whole 22-acre site being fully developed, so it’s a massive step forward for us.”

Stiller’s turnover by the end of 2017 is expected to hit £14.4m, up £2.5m from £11.9m in 2016, which is made up of £10.2m from distribution and £4.2m warehousing, while its workforce has grown to 164 this year.

Stiller provides warehousing and distribution services to businesses in the North East region as well as commercial property lettings. It is also a member and major shareholder in Palletline, a national co-operative network of 70 companies.