Members of Pelican Bus and Coach and Yutong have attended a ground breaking ceremony to mark the start of construction on a new aftermarket parts warehouse.
The 40,000 sq ft National Parts Distribution Centre will hold more than £7.5 million of Yutong parts when it opens, with capacity to more than double its stockholding as the fleet grows.
The 12-metre high warehouse will include a large vehicle yard, Yutong-branded design features and space for further expansion. It has been designed to meet the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) Excellent standard for environmental sustainability.
The Castleford business says the larger facility will improve parts availability, reduce vehicle downtime and strengthen its aftersales, while also creating skilled jobs in warehouse operations, logistics, inventory management and customer support.
It is intended to support more than 2,500 Yutong coaches and buses already in service across the UK and Ireland, with the fleet forecast to increase by approximately 1,000 vehicles annually. The arrival of Yutong electric trucks in the UK will place further demand on the Pelican parts and support network.
Chris Waine, Head of Aftermarket Parts, says: “This investment represents a major step forward in strengthening our aftersales operation and our commitment to delivering exceptional service for our customers.
“Our new warehouse will significantly increase our parts capacity, allow us to respond even faster to our customers’ requirements, future proof our parts operation, strengthen operational excellence and ensure we can continue to deliver the high levels of support and responsiveness our customers expect.
