M&S picks Knapp for Bradford automation project

Marks & Spencer’s has awarded Knapp a contract to design and install automated material handling systems at its national distribution centre in Bradford, which is due to go live in second quarter of 2016.

The distribution centre will feature a high level of automation for goods-in, decanting, storage, picking and dispatch. According to Knapp, its OSR  Shuttle technology will provide an automated storage and retrieval system featuring transport shuttles on every level serving workstations.

Craig Rollason, managing director of Knapp UK, said: “The new facility in Bradford will feature state-of-the-art warehousing technology and we very much hope that this project will be the start of a long and mutually beneficial partnership with M&S.”

Under the terms of the contract, Knapp will also provide a team of resident engineers for onsite maintenance and to respond to any issues that may arise.

Marks & Spencer opened its 1.1 million sq ft distribution centre  at Bradford in July 2010. The site was initially intended to handle mix of furniture products, ambient food, clothing, and store equipment.

Norbert Dentressangle took over the management of the ambient food operation at Bradford in August this year.

Dentressangle will be involved in automation project which is for the storage and handling of boxed general merchandise products, and it will be responsible for running the facility when it becomes operational in 2016.