SLS’s new National Distribution Centre will triple the number of orders that it handles each day

Laboratory equipment supplier Scientific Laboratory Supplies (SLS) has opened the new SLS National Distribution Centre (NDC) at the Fairham Business Park, Nottingham, as it looks to kickstart its next phase of growth. The NDC enables the company to service 2,500 orders per day, three times more than previously possible. SLS previewed the new facility at the Scientific Laboratory Show and Conference 2024 in May to some of the biggest names in the world of science, including more than 1,400 delegates and exhibitors.

The move comes after a sustained period of growth, which saw SLS become the leading independent laboratory equipment distributor in the UK and Ireland. The NDC has 40,000 m3 floor area, which is more than 2.5x the size of its previous Wilford facility just three miles away. The benefit will be passed directly to customers, as SLS will have even greater capacity to meet its service requirements and further improve its industry-leading customer service practices.

“Our Wilford facility has served us well, but we’ve outgrown that space, both in number and ambition,” explained Bruce Mowbray, operations director at SLS. “This move facilitates big increases in storage and processing space for the 600,000 products in our portfolio, with integrated, automated warehouse management systems and state-of-the-art conveyor belt logistics systems.

“This means quicker deliveries for our customers, speeding up the rate that the UK’s laboratories can perform the cutting-edge research and elite production they’re known for.”

“Our input into the design of the Fairham facility has allowed SLS to put multiple aspects of our core company ethos into practice. To foster creativity amongst our teams we have ensured that our office spaces are full of discussion pods and collaboration areas,” said Ian Roulstone, managing director at SLS.

“SLS prioritises sustainability in all our practices, so the NDC has been built to achieve an ‘Excellent’ BREAMM rating. It has photovoltaic solar panels that can produce up to 300MWh of energy per year. Eco-friendly staff transport is built-in too, with 12 EV charging points, a bike shelter and a tram stop with links into Nottingham just a couple of minutes away,” continued Roulstone.

SLS has taken a further step to ensure the modernity of its facility by investing in IT integration. The warehouse at the NDC employs automated warehouse picking and order packing systems. Additionally, enhanced order tracking will provide improved customer order visibility.

SLS represents the future of British supply to the laboratory industry. To see more about how the NDC is taking SLS forward, watch the launch video below.

About Scientific Laboratory Supplies

SLS began trading in 1991 and, since then, has grown to become the UK’s largest independent supplier of laboratory equipment, chemicals and consumables. Because of our independence, we are unique in our approach to sourcing and supplying the highest quality, best value products and brands.

From pipettes and petri dishes to the latest in laboratory instrumentation, we pride ourselves on the quality of products and the service we provide. In addition to providing our own SLS Select consumable and chemical ranges, we partner with industry leading names including Sigma-Aldrich, Becton Dickinson, Eppendorf, Cytiva, DWK Life Sciences, Kimberly-Clark, Sartorius, Taylor Wharton, Thermo-Scientific, 3M and Corning.

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