Ralph Davies moves to new Bicester facility

The facility was chosen as it brings RDI much closer to its manufacturing customer base. The company said this would reduce collection mileage and improve flexibility to customers, as well as reducing RDI’s carbon footprint. 

RDI has a dedicated ingredients storage facility and also moves pallets with its own multi-temperature food-only palletised network. It also moves bulk with its own temperature-controlled and powder tanker fleet. 

Storage capacity​

The building has a storage capacity of in excess of 5,000 pallets and has been racked in a narrow aisle configuration. It also has “man up” VNA fork trucks, which were selected to ensure the driver would always be working at eye level to improve accuracy and reduce the risk of damage. 

The company said that VIGO software would remain pivotal to the operation by providing a full RF-enabled warehousing platform that links to the company’s transport and cross dock operating system.

Significant step​

RDI managing director Mike Phillips ​said: “This move is a significant step forward and has been completed in the space of 12 weeks, which is a huge achievement for the team here at RDI who have ‘sweated blood’ to make this happen within the timescales laid down.” ​

Last year, Dawn Foods awarded its ambient warehousing and distribution contract to RDI. 

In 2018, the food and drink logistics firm tanker division, secured ten new tankers from vehicle supplier Van Hool​​, to help move fruit juice from Europe to the Bridgewater factory of soft drinks bottler Refresco.