200 jobs cut as huge JD Sports distribution warehouse in Derby closes down
Around 200 staff members at a Derby distribution warehouse have been told that their services would no longer be needed after the weekend. JD Group, which owns the well-known high street sports retailer, JD, has confirmed it will be closing its distribution centre in Derby Commercial Park, off Raynesway, just three years after it opened.
A member of staff told Derbyshire Live back in July that workers were informed of the company's intention to make redundancies, with hopes of a conclusion to the consultation process by Friday, September 6. JD Group confirmed it had entered "a period of consultation" with colleagues working at the 514,000-square-foot city business park.
Now, a spokesperson for the group said it had made the "difficult decision" to close the warehouse and told workers on Friday. A JD Group spokesperson said: “We have made the difficult decision to close our Derby distribution centre and are working with all those affected to ensure they are fully supported through this challenging period.”
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A source close to the company says the announcement affects just under 200 colleagues and the JD Group is apparently working to find alternative roles for staff members available within the business. It is understood the decision follows a strategic review of JD Group’s global supply chain network which explored all options available to the business.
It is also understood that the announcement has no impact on JD Group’s distribution centre in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. JD moved to the warehouse back in 2021 after signing a 20-year lease for the facility, which has a capacity for 500 staff, high environmental ratings, 56 dock doors and parking for 185 trailers.
Elsewhere in Derby, the sportswear retailer has plans to "more than double" the size of its store in Derbion. The current 9,397 square-foot store stocks men's, women's and children's sporting apparel, athletic accessories, branded trainers and other footwear from some of the UK's largest brands including Nike, Adidas, The North Face and Jordan.
It will be moving to a new 20,175 square-foot site, also on Level 2, later this year. James Air, director and head of group acquisitions at JD, said: “We are delighted to have secured a fantastic new JD store in Derbion, which will have a footprint that is 50 per cent larger than our old store, whilst featuring our very latest store design."
The company was founded in 1981 by Jon Wardle and David Makin (hence the name, JD) and traded from a single shop in Bury, Greater Manchester. More than 40 years later, it has evolved into a high-street giant and owns 4,506 stores worldwide across the UK, Australia, Indonesia and South Korea.
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