The new DSV distribution centre (DC) at Brackmills Gateway is an important milestone in DSV’s ambitious growth plans within the pharmaceutical and healthcare sector in the UK and Europe. The facility, a 380,000 sq. ft. temperature controlled DC, is BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) ‘Outstanding’ certified and is located in the prestigious Midlands ‘Golden Logistics Triangle.’

“This advanced DC will add key capacity to our healthcare offering and ensure a more robust supply of healthcare and pharmaceutical products to the sector,” enthuses DSV Brackmills’ assistant general manager, Tom Oake. He continues, “Not only will it provide a more flexible, high quality service, but it also incorporates best practices in waste management and energy conservation to improve the facility’s carbon footprint and environmental impact.

“Both health & safety and operational efficiency are mission critical to the business. It was vital, therefore, that all the DC signage and line marking – both internal and external – was first class. DSV had not used inotec before, however, in previous roles I had experienced excellent results working with them and so felt it would be advantageous to see what they could offer. As a relative newcomer to DSV, I wanted to ensure we signed up with the best possible partner to deliver our line marking and signage.

“Consequently, we put the contract out to tender to three companies, including inotec and the incumbent supplier. The team here at DSV were impressed with the professional way inotec approached the project. All the people at inotec have a massive amount of experience in the logistics market and their professional, almost understated approach is very refreshing.”

A partnership based on trust

“After due consideration, the decision was made to partner with inotec. We felt we could trust them to work with us to deliver the best possible solution for the Brackmills site. Whilst competitive, their price wasn’t the cheapest, but inotec’s solutions are first class and you have the peace of mind that they are durable and will stand the test of time.

“It was great to have their knowledge and experience to fall back on when planning the line marking and signage. With a large DC like our Brackmills site, it can be challenging to visualise how all the walkways, forklift truck lanes, meeting areas and signage will work together. The guys at inotec were able to add clarity to our initial plans and their installation team flagged up any issues they felt needed attention, they didn’t just blindly follow instructions.

“With regard to inotec’s floor tags, they are a big bonus. My experience is that other suppliers tend to use stickers on the floor, but they just get ripped up almost immediately. Back in 2007, at a previous company, I had inotec install floor tags and those original tags are still working perfectly today. Shortly after inotec installed the 36 floor tags in the Brackmills site, we had visitors over from Belgium. They were so impressed with these tags they took pictures to get their supplier to install something similar in their own warehouse.“

Branded as Floortags®, inotec’s floor tags are constructed using an extremely durable aluminium plate with the barcode or readable text photocomposed into the metal. During installation, the plate is recessed slightly below the floor surface and sealed with a tough polyester resin. The strong materials make the Floortags® extremely resistant to damage from heavy truck movements, foot traffic and industrial cleaning products.

A professional approach with quality products

Oake added, ”Over the years I have built up a strong working relationship with inotec’s sales manager in the south, Steve Towler. He has a no nonsense approach; he takes the brief, provides a quote and then is happy to answer any questions you may have. There’s no hard sell, no hassling, just straightforward advice, facts and figures to help you make the right decision. In terms of line marking, inotec uses its ‘Rapidshield’ paint system which is designed to withstand heavy traffic over a projected lifespan of five years. The benefit of the system is the ultraviolet topcoat which cures instantly, reducing downtime to under two hours. That means painted areas can be handed back within a working day for immediate use. All in all, here at DSV we are delighted with the work inotec has done in the Brackmills DC. There is no doubt we will be working with them on future sites as we expand our network of healthcare DCs in the UK and Europe” concludes Oake.