A BEOLEY packing and storage company is celebrating winning £800,000 of new business through its innovative distribution service.

The scheme enables suppliers and retailers to use Oakland as a consolidation centre before several manufacturers' products are delivered to their destinations at once.

The economic and environmental benefits mean some manufacturers can save up to 75 per cent by sharing distribution costs.

The service is one of the first of its type operating in the West Midlands.

General manager Dean Attwell said: "Consolidation has been a major success at Oakland and since launching it in February we have expanded from 130 pallets a week to 1,400 - a ten-fold increase - in our chilled division.

"The beauty of the scheme is that there are benefits to suppliers and their retail customers.

"We now offer a cost-effective route to market for small and large suppliers, and the retailers have the benefit of being able to choose from a wider range of smaller suppliers who previously had never considered supplying major retailers."

The company distributes to household names like Sainsbury's, Boots, Morrison's, Asda, Waitrose, Tesco, Woolworths and the Co-op.