Opened by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal, it has been described as a “building of dreams”, with its park-like landscaping, highlighted by a picturesque lake. Within, the offices are fully air-conditioned and the warehouse benefits from modern conveyor belt and stock handling technology, including loading bay dock levellers and a computer controlled carousel sortation system to direct cartons to their destinations for loading.

Every modern facility is included in the building, from a state-of-the-art sprinkler system which draws on the lake for its water, to banks of closed circuit TV cameras that survey the 900 metres of fencing surrounding the perimeter. There is secure parking for nearly 200 cars and visitors from Europe regularly make buying decisions in one of five showrooms. The headquarters warehouse can accommodate more than 500,000 cartons.

The company has always operated its own delivery fleet and takes considerable pride in its ability to deliver the majority of orders direct from warehouse to customer. This method is faster and more responsive, and goods are loaded only once, unlike systems operated by national carriers which tend to use a hub. The company has a fleet of 32 vehicles, with the largest vehicles offering a volume capacity of up to 2,000 cubic feet and up to 18 tonnes gross weight.