A.F. Blakemore's network of distribution centres includes warehouses in Willenhall, Darlaston and Tipton in the West Midlands, and Bedford, Wakefield and Talbot Green, South Wales. 

With the use of scan-pick technology, our availability and delivery accuracy is second to none. 

Our ambient warehouses hold grocery items, confectionery, beers, wines and household products. 

Meanwhile, our chilled warehouses stock refrigerated products that include fresh milk, meat and dairy. The main parts of our chilled warehouse facilities are maintained at a constant temperature below 4˚C. 

Frozen stock is stored in frozen warehousing, which operates at -25˚C. 

Goods Received Purchased products are delivered to each of our warehouse locations. Product barcodes and date codes are captured as each product is checked and scanned into the warehouse.

Storage and Replenishment Forklift truck operators move palletised stock to racking areas for storage prior to use. Best-before and use-by dates are controlled by a bulk storage control system that enables immediate identification of pallets held within bulk storage.  Picking locations are replenished by forklift truck operators when the bulk storage system indicates that stock levels are low. Stock is rotated on a 'first in, first out' basis.

Assembly Customer orders are fed to warehouse operators via a wrist-mounted scanning unit. Operators pick and scan the customer's order and place each product into roll cages or pallets. Scanning each product's barcode as it is picked ensures accuracy of picking. Operators ensure that products are stacked and wrapped in accordance with company standards to ensure that product integrity is maintained.

Loading Completed orders are marked with identification labels in order to enable easy identification, and are then placed into a despatch area. All orders relating to one delivery route are loaded and scanned onto a delivery vehicle, awaiting delivery.

Distribution Drivers collect their vehicle and begin their route at the planned departure time. Each order is delivered to the customer's premises within a defined delivery window, and may include ambient, security, chilled and frozen products.  Prior to leaving the customer's premises, the driver collects any returns and recyclable materials and return them to our recycling facility for processing.