CERT invests in fine wine facility

Published: 23 July, 2008

Drinks logistics provider CERT Group is investing more than 20 million in a new fine wines facility at Hoddesdon.

The 192,000 sq ft centre for the group's Octavian division replaces an existing operation at the Hertfordshire site, and will be fully operational during the first half of 2007. It will offer a 28,000-pallet capacity and the ability to process 120,000 orders and five million cases per year.

Michael Lainas, managing director of Octavian, said: 'We took the strategic decision to invest in the new facility to provide extra capacity near London, where there has been significant growth in demand for fine wines. It will also enable us to reduce the cost per case at a time when logistics costs are becoming a greater percentage of customers' outgoings.'

The Octavian division also announced the installation of a new environment control system at its 1 million sq ft underground cellars in Wiltshire. The 250,000 computerised network of dehumidifiers, ventilation fans and automated doors now monitors and controls humidity and temperature across the nine different sectors of the facility.

Lainas said: 'The system was introduced after we commissioned a complete underground environment study to ensure the facility could respond to future climate change in the form of consistently higher temperatures at ground level and control the impact in the cellars. In doing so, we aim to enhance the quality and value of the wine stored at the Corsham site.'

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