DISTRIBUTION

Centre Takes Centre Stage At Kettler Hq

Leading outdoor living provider, Kettler has opened the doors to a £2 million facility in Redditch, which the company says reflects its market-leading presence and demonstrate its long-term vision for sustained growth.

The extra high facility, next to its current warehouse, will treble the company’s current capacity. The new facility has 120 tonnes of steelwork and three miles of racking that will accommodate 5,500 pallets, which will significantly improve its stockholding and efficiency. The new distribution centre is also primely positioned for Kettler’s national network of retailers.

“We are delighted to launch this state-of-the-art facility and mark another major milestone in Kettler’s journey”

Winners revealed at the first North Worcestershire Business Awards

More than 170 business leaders from across North Worcestershire attended the region’s first business awards, with six companies taking home crystal trophies.

The winners included Redditchbased commercial heating company Ignis Group which won Best StartUp Business and Bumblehole Foods of Bromsgrove which won Best Contribution to the Community.

Invoco Telecom of Bromsgrove secured Best Customer Service and Peter Hill of Redditch-based Petvictus won Entrepreneur of the Year.

Kettler Managing Director, Paul Bevington, said: “We are delighted to launch this facility and mark another major milestone in Kettler’s journey.

“We can now store all our stock and operate from one single location, which will ensure we continue to efficiently respond to customer demand and to prepare for more innovation in an everchanging marketplace.”

OGl Computer, based at Stourporton-Severn, secured Best Employer of the Year and Unique IQ of Redditch, won the award for Innovation of the Year.

Unique IQ is a software provider serving the health, social care and cleaning sectors with two key products, the IQ:timecard and IQ:careplanner.

Worcester address verification company goes global with Chinese partnership

Address verification company Loqate, formerly Postcode Anywhere, has formed a partnership with Netherlands-based NavInfo Europe to provide address data for mainland China.

In 2017, the Worcester-based business success story Postcode Anywhere, which provided UK and international address validation services, was bought by global identity data intelligence company GBG for £66 million, and renamed Loqate.

Loqate now processes millions of transactions every day for some of the world’s largest e-commerce companies. It’s also used to enhance the quality of data held within CRM systems and to improve user experience and customer conversion rates.

NavInfo is the leader in location and autonomous driving services in China.

The partnership will allow Loqate to boost its global reference data and enable customers and partners to accurately deliver their goods and services in China.

David Green, Managing Director of Loqate, said: “The Chinese marketplace is immensely important to our global customers and partners. Our relationship with NavInfo Europe means they can effectively verify and enhance their Chinese address data and serve customers in that market.”

Ralf Stollenwerk, Managing Director of NavInfo Europe said: “This agreement builds a strong foundational step in advancing the strategic objectives of both companies.”

GBG, which owns Loqate, brings together data relating to the identities of nearly 4.5 billion people.

This “identity data intelligence” helps organisations capture and manage personal data, manage risk, fight fraud and consider whether or not someone is suitable for employment.