A 70-metre lifting crane, almost as tall as York Minster, appears on the city's skyline as Nestlé installs new £5.2m cranes at its Haxby Road distribution centre. The investment highlights Nestlé’s commitment to improving efficiency and modernising its facilities as the company celebrates the 40th anniversary of its York Distribution Centre site this year.

The investment will focus on replacing six high-bay stacker cranes and their control systems in the automated warehouse. This upgrade will not only enhance the warehouse’s reliability and longevity but also improve technology and overall efficiency, all while ensuring a safer work environment by reducing the need for employees to work at heights.

This ambitious project will be executed in three phases between January and July 2025, to maintain uninterrupted service in the company’s 32,500-pallet warehouse throughout the process.

The work will be carried out with Nestlé’s logistics partner, Alstef Group, and will involve the temporary assembly of telescopic cranes on site, with a total of seven lifting crane visits. The lifting crane will reach a height of 70 metres to replace six 25-metre cranes through the warehouse roof, all whilst keeping the operation running.

The company is also upgrading the electrical and control systems in the warehouse to ensure seamless operation. These improvements will make it easier for its team to monitor operations and respond quickly to any issues that may arise.

Richard Hastings, Head of Logistics at Nestlé UK and Ireland, said:

“Nestlé York is a cornerstone of our operations in the UK, playing a vital role in our supply chain and our commitment to delivering high-quality products to consumers."

“This investment in our York Distribution Centre reflects our dedication to continued improvement and innovation and we look forward to sharing more updates as we progress with this exciting project.”

Nestlé UK and Ireland has invested more than £800 million in its UK factories over the past decade, including recent upgrades in Wisbech, York, Halifax and Buxton.

Nestlé’s investment in the York Distribution Centre builds on more than £85 million investment in the Nestlé York campus in the past decade, including refurbished office space and factory machinery upgrades.

The York Distribution Centre was opened in 1985 and supplies retailers in the North of England with a wide range of Nestlé products, including confectionery, coffee and cereals.