Leonardo has announced that building work will shortly commence on a new circa GBP30 million single-site logistics facility at the OEM's helicopter site in Yeovil in the UK's south west region. The facility, spanning an area of nearly 20,000 sqm, the equivalent of 2.7 football pitches, is scheduled to be completed in Q4 2022. The project sees the consolidation of eight existing warehouses into one all-encompassing logistics hub.

This high-tech facility means a reduction in operating costs, by having all ops under one roof, and maximises the potential of helicopter component logistics. The new facility, with its high-end technologies, is heavily focussed on sustainability. It will be equipped with rainwater harvesting tanks for brown water services, full LED lighting will be employed throughout the facility and a heat recovery system will be used in the main warehouse, which will be complemented by a modern office temperature control system. In addition, there will be a bank of electrical vehicle charging points.

The site will be operated under a new 10-year commercial contract with Kuehne+Nagel, which will include an investment in plant and equipment installation and warehousing transition activity by the global transport and logistics company. The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2023.

The new facility will service the Yeovil production facilities and provide spares support for the global fleet of rotary aircraft built at Leonardo's site in Yeovil, the UK's only onshore helicopter manufacturer, and support the management of production tooling.

“The main aim of the single-site logistics facility at Leonardo's site in Yeovil is to consolidate all Yeovil-based warehousing,” explains Leonardo Helicopters UK MD Nick Whitney. “This facility will streamline the site's operational capability and customer service by having all logistical support in one place. It highlights further Leonardo's long-term commitment to its Yeovil site through the strategic development of this high-tech logistics hub. It also demonstrates the importance of key industry partnerships through our crucial collaboration with Kuehne+Nagel.”

The new logistics facility demonstrates Leonardo's long-term commitment to Somerset, the UK's south west and to its customers. It also aligns with Leonardo's industrial plan, which focuses on stronger customer support services and proximity, thereby complimenting the Be Tomorrow, Leonardo's 2030 innovation roadmap supporting its long-term sustainable growth.