Unipart to close Oxford warehouse and relocate to Bicester

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 06:08 · Archive

Unipart will close its Oxford warehouse in August next year after 50 years and move to Bicester.

Unipart will close its Cowley warehouse in Oxford in August next year after 50 years at the site. The car parts supplier will exercise an early exit clause, leaving five years before the lease expires. The company said the warehouse on Garsington Road was no longer fit for purpose and did not align with its net-zero sustainability goals or meet customers' long-term contracting needs.

Unipart has secured a new warehouse in Bicester to be used from next year. The search for a new office to house the company's headquarters continues within the local area, though nothing has yet been secured.

Staff will retain their jobs, but local councillors Anne Stares and David Henwood expressed disappointment at the move. They said workers now face a longer and costlier commute, which will increase the carbon footprint of each employee. As a parts supplier to the Mini factory, Unipart uses a just-in-time philosophy, storing less stock to deliver quickly and on time. The councillors warned that a warehouse further away puts greater pressure on timely deliveries.

How it is being reported

• Major Oxford employer to leave city for BicesterA major employer in Oxford is to leave the city in favour of a new site elsewhere in Oxfordshire.Oxfordshire Guardian · 27 Oct, 05:00
• Major Oxford employer to leave city for BicesterA major employer in Oxford is to leave the city in favour of a new site elsewhere in Oxfordshire.Oxford Mail · 27 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Unipart · Oxford · Bicester · Cowley · Mini

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