Gordons advise AO on distribution centre

Yorkshire law firm Gordons has advised online home electricals retailer AO on its new 110,000 sq ft distribution facility in Crewe, Cheshire, as demand for the company’s services continues to grow.

AO, which saw its turnover rise 13.3 per cent to £902.5m for the year ended 31 March 2019, now has just under one million sq ft of warehousing space in Crewe and is actively searching for more.

Gordons commercial property partner, Sarah Ratcliffe, who has particular expertise in working on logistics deals, helped AO secure a ten-year lease with break options on the accommodation.

Founded in 2000 and with its UK head office in Bolton, AO has been a Gordons client since 2018. The company’s latest warehouse will be used to grow its third-party logistics business which in the past two years has won new clients including Aldi, The Cotswold Company, Simba and Keter.

AO Logistics commercial director, Stuart Haynes, commented: “There has been a massive shift to online shopping during the pandemic and we have been delivering products safely and efficiently throughout, both for AO and our third party clients.

“The new facility enables us to even further enhance our service levels and capabilities, whilst ensuring our teams can work safely with the social distancing measures we have implemented. Sarah and her team at Gordons were excellent in enabling us to achieve this goal with fast, practical and commercial advice.”

Gordons has offices in Leeds and Bradford and employs 200 people. The firm’s other clients include retailers B&M, Heron Foods, Iceland Foods, Morrisons, Ocado and Wren Kitchens as well as construction and high-performance materials manufacturer Saint Gobain and international brewers Molson Coors.

Gordons’ Sarah Ratcliffe added: “It’s been great to help AO with the expansion of its logistics services. The company has reacted at speed and with agility to meet the immediate increase in demand for online shopping. AO Logistics is now ideally positioned for the continued growth and success of its offer.”