FedEx aims to double size of Staffordshire depot warehouse
FedEx is to almost double the size of its site in Burntwood in what is expected to be a multi-million pound move, it has been revealed.
London & Cambridge Properties (LCP), the owner of the Burntwood Business Park, says the US-based courier giant is moving into a purpose-built warehouse unit that will be built at the site.
The 43,705 sq ft development will enable FedEx to move out of its existing 28,565 sq ft premises in Zone 4 of the business park.
The cost of the new development is not being revealed. Neither is the impact on staff numbers although the move is expected to create new jobs.
Andrew Preston, industrial property manager at LCP, said investing in a pre-let new-build development reflected the growing economic confidence that the area was experiencing.
"This is a significant investment for LCP and a substantial commitment from FedEx that will see it almost double its space, thus securing existing jobs and creating new positions," he said.
"This new development will high specification, offering the company the space and facilities it needs to grow and we are very pleased that FedEx has given us the opportunity to design and build its new premises."
A planning application has been submitted to Lichfield District Council for a warehouse unit with two-storey offices and a secure yard. LCP hopes to appoint contractors with the aim of starting construction in late summer, with an expected completion date of May 2016.
LCP is based in Kingswinford and has a portfolio of more than 350 sites extending across 16 million sq ft of commercial property across the UK, with around 3,000 tenants. As well as Burntwood it runs the huge Pensnett business estate in Kingswinford and shopping centres including the Wulfrun Centre in Wolverhampton, Dudley's Churchill Centre and Park Place in Walsall.
FedEx is the UK arm of the US delivery giant formerly known as Federal Express, which employs 300,000 people worldwide.
It employs around 21,000 people in Europe, where it runs a fleet of aircraft and 3,700 vehicles. FedEx is currently in the process of buying rival European delivery firm TNT Express for £3.1 billion. TNT's UK base is at Atherstone and it runs a major depot at Kingsbury near Tamworth.
