Toolstation, one of the UK’s fastest growing suppliers to the trade, has opened its fourth distribution centre, in Middleton, Greater Manchester.

The Middleton distribution centre will create over 150 new jobs in the area in the next year; comprising warehouse operatives and management; and will service 45 Toolstation branches by the end of 2018, with the capacity to service 150. Its strategic location will enable quicker replenishment of branches in northern England and Scotland.

Councillor Mohammed Zaman, Mayor of Rochdale, officiated the opening of the distribution centre, which is located on the Stakehill Industrial Estate in Middleton, and was joined by staff and senior management of Toolstation including James Mackenzie, managing director and John Meaden, marketing director.          

Toolstation currently has over 320 branches across the UK which are open seven days a week, and a Click & Collect service which has products available in branch within just 10 minutes of ordering. Builders, plumbers, electricians, painters and decorators and all those trades in between rely on their stock availability and every day low prices on over 13,000 products.

With revenues in 2017 reaching a benchmark £300 million, and a programme of 40 new branch openings in 2018 that when combined with other growth initiatives will create a further 500 jobs across the UK, Toolstation looks strengthen its position as a supplier to the trade with an ambitious growth plan that includes the addition of further product lines in response to customer demand, and a target of 500 branches in the next few years.   

The brand recently launched a Trade Credit Card in partnership with Barclaycard, that offers an extended interest-free credit period of up to 116 days for all purchases made at Toolstation and participating companies within the Travis Perkins Group. Customers can also benefit from up to 56 days of interest-free credit for purchases made anywhere else that a MasterCard commercial card is accepted.

Speaking at the opening of the Middleton Distribution Centre, managing director James Mackenzie said: “We’re delighted to open our new Distribution Centre in Middleton and what it means for the growth of Toolstation; job creation for local people; further enhanced service for our customers; and successful strategic growth for our business. The location is excellent in terms of quickening our ability to get the right products to our customers at the right time, and in strengthening our UK footprint. My thanks and congratulations go to all our staff and everyone involved who have worked hard to make this opening a success.”