Family-run Auto Recycler, Charles Trent launches state-of-the-art 30,000 square foot Distribution Centre in response to increased demand for Green Parts.
Charles Trent Limited, a family-run vehicle recycling and salvage business, recently completed its latest highly anticipated investment project. The launch of its new, ultra-modern Distribution Centre will enable the company to meet growing consumer demand for recycled car parts and supply top-quality professional products to businesses and the public alike.
Charles Trent Limited is a fourth-generation family run business with experience dating back to 1926. It is one of the UK’s leading vehicle recycling experts and is committed to professional vehicle recycling. The company works with some of the UK’s largest insurance companies, providing tested, trusted parts to locations across Europe. This project is its latest move in its drive for efficiency and modernisation of car part recycling, as the practice becomes the norm for consumers. Located on a 30,000 square foot site in Holton Heath, Poole, the new Distribution Centre has the capacity for over 60,000 Green Parts. 110,000 individual green parts will be processed in and out of this facility in 2021, increasing to 170,000 unique recycled parts in 2022. The new modern warehouse system allows Charles Trent Limited to store and distribute Green Parts more efficiently.
Demand for Green Parts, otherwise known as recycled, reclaimed, or reused parts, has recently soared owing to their enormous cost-saving and environmental benefits. The purchase of Green Parts ensures that previously used car parts, which are in perfect working condition and subject to the most scrupulous safety standards, do not make their way to a landfill site. They can instead be reused by vehicles owners, who can both assist in minimising waste of materials and derive enormous savings by not having to pay manufacturers’ premiums. Charles Trent Limited is committed to eliminating waste and contributing to a circular economy, and this new project has seen the company invest £4 million in achieving its efficiency-based goals.
The project has involved developing a large warehouse that uses the latest technologies to store and distribute Green Parts. Engines, gearboxes, small parts, and interiors are just some of the items stored at the facility. Charles Trent Limited’s new suite is comprised of 14 levels, measuring a towering 15 metres, and houses 4 picking zones. It benefits from the industry’s most up-to-date machinery and functions, meaning that site will operate with excellent efficiency. A move away from the paper-based picking system and towards a fully automated warehouse management system marks an overall modernisation of the distribution process. The method of retrieving items in the new warehouse is faster and more precise. The improved picking efficiency, inventory accuracy and utilisation of storage space will enable costs savings and reduce emissions. New technologies which Charles Trent Limited have introduced to its modern warehouse will also reduce its carbon footprint and increase the productivity of the workplace. They include two brand new Linde K Series Electric Turret Trucks, which can be used to reach the top 10 levels of the site so maximising the use of space available, a brand-new Electric Counterbalance, and a Utilising Snap Fulfil Warehouse Management System.
In the long term, the project aims to have a fully environmentally friendly packaging process and to cater for the demands of clients such as insurance firms and fleet organisations. It is envisaged that the Centre will dispatch up to 650 Green Parts per day, with the ability to expand to meet increased future demands. The warehouse now operates an 18-hour working day, a complete overhaul of the previous 9-hour system, in order to stay completely up to date with product demand and to ensure that the process runs as quickly and professionally as possible. New training facilities ensure that employees benefit from continual teaching and development in small, cohesive 8-person teams, demonstrating the company’s commitment to staying updated on skills and safety practices.
The infrastructure which Charles Trent Limited has used is market-leading and innovative. The bespoke Distribution Centre was completed in a space of 10 months, following project commencement in February 2020. Despite its rapid development, the building boasts A-rated energy efficiency and an air permeability of 2.21 which, for a structure of this type and scale, is recognisably strong. Modern-day building techniques and thermally effective building materials ensure that the warehouse is eco and cost-friendly. The new addition of a Board Room and Break Out Space means that staff are also able to benefit from the investment, contributing to a well-rounded working environment.
Charles Trent Limited is committed to both investing in its people and in green infrastructure. The company has been quick to recognise the enormous scope for innovation in this fast-accelerating area of business. Its long-standing expertise in Green Parts has allowed it to lead the market in using infrastructure and technology to ensure that the storage and distribution of recycled products are as environmentally friendly and efficient as possible.
To find out more about Charles Trent Limited, visit www.trents.co.uk
