Logistics and supply chain solutions provider XPO Logistics has won a reverse logistics and maintenance contract for discount supermarket Aldi UK. As part of the deal, XPO Logistics will wash reusable transit packaging collected from the company’s stores around the country before returning it to the supply chain.

In a collaborative arrangement with Aldi’s customers, the logistics company will process around 22 million Aldi plastic crates annually through its tray wash centres. The deal also includes processing beverage trays, potato shippers, universal display pallets (UDPs), as well as fresh produce and meat shipping containers.

The work will be carried out at its regional facilities located at Dagenham, Bristol, Doncaster. Falkirk and Rochdale. Consolidated items will be washed, inspected, and returned back to the supply chain, and repairs will be carried out as necessary on them.

Aldi corporate logistics director Danny Gibson said: “With its expertise in managing a wide range of returnable transit packaging, and its extensive tray wash service capabilities, XPO Logistics more than meets our requirements for a high quality, reliable solution.

“The strategic location of XPO Logistics centres throughout the UK will enable us to achieve greater cost efficiencies and further reduce our road miles to improve our environmental footprint.”

XPO Logistics provides reverse logistics solutions to the supermarket retail sector in the UK. Reverse logistics is a core yet unseen part of the supply chain, and XPO Logistics is among the top 10 companies in this sector. It has the infrastructure to meet the demands of the fast growing and successful discount supermarket as the company goes from strength to strength taking on the Big 5 supermarkets.