Southampton City Council, in partnership with Meachers Global Logistics and Wessex Procurement are supporting the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust with the storage and delivery of PPE. This new partnership is providing the local NHS Covid hubs with urgent PPE supplies when needed.
This arrangement is being offered through the Southampton Sustainable Distribution Centre (SDC); a service procured by the council and operated by Meachers Global Logistics. With over 600 pallets of PPE in secure storage, the Hospital has a central point to review stock levels, arrange delivery directly to the NHS hubs at convenient times and on demand. Consolidating stock is expected to reduce the total number of deliveries made into the city, easing congestion and reducing emissions and forms one part of the Council’s Green City Plan.
The SDC offers business an ‘out of the city’ storage facility where goods can be consolidated, delivered on demand and stock levels monitored and managed. The benefits include redirecting heavy goods vehicles intended for the City Centre to the SDC. Contents are unpacked, grouped together and then either stored on-site or re-packed onto a single vehicle. Deliveries from several suppliers intended for one end user are consolidated, reducing HGV trips.
