Bristol-based eCommerce fulfilment company Huboo has officially opened its largest UK warehouse so far in a move that has more than doubled its workforce to almost 700.
The firm, which increased its revenue by 124% in the year to January, is occupying the new 106,000 sq ft building close to junction 17 of the M4 near Chippenham.
Built nearly 18 months ago as the first unit on a 78-acre industrial and logistics site being developed by property giant St Modwen, the warehouse is double the size of Bristol-headquartered Huboo’s largest UK site and is creating 400 jobs.
The sustainable warehouse, which was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday, pictured, will add much-needed capacity for Huboo, which has grown exponentially since its launch in Bath in 2017, when it had two employees, 60 customers and recurring venues of £20,000 a month.
Today it has more than 1,000 customers and earns revenues of £1.7m a month. In the past 12 months alone it has shipped more than 9m products.
As well as its head office in Bristol and five UK fulfilment centres, it also has sites in the Netherlands, Spain and a newly opened warehouse in Leipzig, Germany, which is roughly the same size at the new Chippenham base.
The firm’s growth has been based on its intuitive ‘microhub’ technology, which allows online retailers of all sizes to use its complete fulfilment operation within minutes.
Huboo also harnesses innovative software to make its warehouses smarter, more productive and ‘human centric’.
Huboo chief operating officer Allan Blakeley said Chippenham was an ideal location because of its strong transport links via the M4 and M5 corridors to a host of major UK cities and ports, such as Southampton and Bristol.
“Our UK growth trajectory is a vital part of our strategic plans, and our new sustainable warehouse will create a wide range of new job opportunities and offer our employees a full range of wellbeing facilities,” he added.
St Modwen Park Chippenham is being built to the developer’s high standard. which puts the environment and employee wellbeing at its core.
This includes BREEAM Excellent standard and EPC A-rated buildings as well as electric vehicle charging points which are provided for employee use.
The wider park includes a trim trail around the full perimeter of the site, complete with fitness equipment, benches with solar-powered charging points.
St Modwen Logistics managing director Polly Troughton said: “Our aim is to provide our customers with the space and support they need to succeed, and, thanks to its location within the South West’s established logistics triangle, Chippenham is ideally placed for Huboo to support its customers and the increased demand for e-commerce services.
“We’re thrilled to be welcoming Huboo to St. Modwen Park Chippenham and providing the business with the space it needs to facilitate its growth and bring new jobs and investment into the area.”
Huboo’s founders, tech serial entrepreneur Martin Bysh and logistics innovator Paul Dodd, pictured above, still live in Bath and earlier this year struck a multi-year agreement to make the firm Bath Rugby’s official eCommerce partner.
It will also sponsor the club’s official training wear from next season onwards for an unspecified number of years.
The firm will also be the main shirt sponsor for all five of Bristol Sport’s professional teams, including Bristol City and Bristol Bears, in a UK first for a sporting group.
The ground-breaking deal, which takes effect from the start of the 2022/23 season, will make Huboo principal partner for Bristol Sport’s football teams Bristol City men and women, its Bristol Bears men and women rugby teams and basketball side Bristol Flyers.
