New Depot to Serve 220 Fish Shops
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A NEW distribution centre opened last
week by Mac Fisheries, Ltd., at Finsbury Park, London, N.4, can handle 90 tons of fresh food daily, and provide a continuous delivery service to 220 shops in the London area with 400 items of food. The depot covers an area of 27,820 sq. ft. and cost £500,000. It was completed in 164 months.
In addition to a main fish-handling area, the site provides a frozen-fish store, wet-fish chill store, rapid-ice plant, office accommodation and a vehicle maintenance depot.
Six 5-ton vehicles can be housed in the repair shop, where a fleet of over 50 vehicles, which cover 500,000 miles a year, is serviced. The equipment includes a Bradbury 5-ton hoist, whilst greasing is done by Tecalemit drum pump. Some vehicles have automatic chassis lubrication.
A Laycock 12-c.f.m. compressor supplies an airline to convenient points in the workshop, whilst other equipment includes a Crypton mobile fast battery charger and electrical fault locater, a Wolf valve grinder, Weaver press, sparking-plug test equipment, Harvey Frost jack crane, and Epco 3and 5-ton jacks. There is also a small forge and welding plant.
Thermostatically controlled heating is provided from the main boiler, which is oil-fired, whilst unit heaters are also installed in the repair shop just below ceiling level.
Based on B.M.C. 5-ton oil-engined chassis, the light-metal van bodies have platform heights of 2 ft. 8 in., with both side and end doors to facilitate rapid loading and unloading. Wet fish is carried in 4-stone aluminium containers. Larger vehicles may be employed as delivery areas expand.
Vans are loaded daily in the early morning, and 6 a.m, is the latest scheduled dispatch time. Drivers specialize on particular rounds, and deliver less perishable traffic on the return journey, when collecting empties, if a saving in time can be made.
Approximately 55 per cent, of the loads are wet fish, the remainder being prepared foods. Because of the transfer from Billingsgate to Finsbury Park, planned loading can now be achieved, with the objective of eliminating difficulties at delivery points.
In addition to deliveries to retail shops, vehicles may, on occasion, be employed upon the transfer of stocks from other depots.
The depot is in constant touch by teleprinter and telephone with 35 British fishing ports, and has daily contact with Continental ports. A digest of such information is available to all branches served, permitting supplies to be bought at the most advantageous price and routed to Finsbury Park within hours of landing. Similar arrangements are made for the distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables.
In addition to fish supplies, there is an intake of poultry and game, approximately 75 per cent, of which arrives by road.