Kia Motors (UK) Limited has announced a deal to create additional storage capacity at its UK import and distribution centre in Stallingborough, North Lincolnshire.
Kia appointed 3PL Real Estate to be their exclusive property consultants on this project, this saw them jointly broker an agreement between Kia and an investor to secure 16.8 hectares of land from Associated British Ports and the related construction contract.
The current site covers 35.6 hectares of land and with this additional land Kia’s overall capacity will increase to 52.6 hectares of car storage facility. The multi-million pound development, awarded to Clugston Construction Limited, highlights the confidence the brand has in the UK and its continued presence within the UK market – the UK is the brands fifth biggest market globally and Kia ranks in the top 10 of car brands in the UK for sales.
Situated three miles from the Port of Immingham, the current Distribution Centre is a key hub for all Kia models entering the UK from its European factory in Slovakia and its overseas factories in Korea. Over 92,586 Kia cars were imported into the UK in 2018 and this figure is expected to rise in the coming years. Kia has ambitious plans to sell 100,000 cars a year by 2020 with over 1,000,000 Kia models having been sold in the UK since the brand first started in the UK in 1991.
The new site adjoins the current facility and will have access via a road bridge, in addition, the new facility will also have a separate transporter entrance allowing Kia flexibility in its utilisation. The new 16.8 hectare facility will allow for an additional storage of 8,000 cars.
In its construction the new facility will take 32 weeks and expect to be fully open in November 2019. Throughout construction it will employ up to 80 staff at any one time that will move over 200,000 tonnes of soil, lay 33,000 tonnes of tarmac and paint 43 miles of white lines. Wildlife concerns have also been taken into consideration as an additional 9,000m2 of wetland habitat will be created with swales and ditches providing habitation for local wildlife as well as 2,611m2 of tree planting.
Kia are also investigating options for Solar PV generation which will support its battery charging facilities for its range of electric and hybrid models that come from Europe and Korea.
Working alongside Kia are four main consultants. 3PL Real Estate will provide overall development management, Hewitt Associates Limited provide project management and quantity surveying as well as being the principal designer, clerk of works and providing health and safety advice. Working on structural design services are Mason Clark Associates who will also provide pre-contract civils and structural design services and post contract design and quality reviews. Lastly working with Kia are Ridings Consulting who are responsible for pre-contract electrical design services and post contract design and quality reviews.