Princess Anne has officially opened Arco’s expanded National Distribution Centre.
It was a return visit to the Hull site, having done the honours on the original build back in 2003.
And Her Royal Highness even donned a face mask for a tour - vital PPE the company has been able to supply in the hundreds of millions of units - thanks to the £30 million investment.
Brought online just ahead of lockdown, major contracts are being served from the site to help ward off coronavirus, thanks to the enhanced logistical capabilities.
The Princess Royal added a high visibility jacket to her green tweed trouser suit ensemble - which included an apt gold rope knot brooch - as she took in the 220,000 sq ft site, crammed with racking reaching skywards, maximising the building’s 22m height.
It has trebled the storage capacity for the 136-year-old fourth generation family firm.
Thomas Martin, Arco’s chairman, welcomed the special guest, under tight restrictions due to the ongoing pandemic.
Joined by his uncle, vice chairman Stephen Martin OBE, he said: “We were extremely honoured and delighted to receive HRH the Princess Royal to celebrate the official opening of Phase Three of our National Distribution Centre, a significant milestone for Arco.
“Phase Three re-affirms our continued commitment to our customers, those who work with Arco and the city of Hull. Our efforts in expanding the business’s logistical capabilities will allow us to fulfil our ambitious future growth plans.
"In a very short time, it has supported our core purpose to keep people safe, enabling us to make a significant contribution to support the UK supply chain for critical safety equipment throughout a global pandemic.”
Having arrived via helicopter, landing at Hymers College, Princess Anne heard how the NDC team responded to dramatic changes in circumstances, introducing new ways of working and bringing the operation online ahead of schedule.
She was told how the £282 million turnover firm procures, stocks and distributes critical PPE for frontline workers, which so far has included more than 140 million face masks, 18 million gloves, 500,000 coveralls and the same number again of further hygiene products, including hand sanitiser.
It has recently won a major contract with NHS Scotland.
Mr Martin and managing director David Evison also showed their guest the independently accredited testing laboratory, which lifts the safety provider above its peers.
She was given a live demonstration to show how Arco tests safety footwear to ensure it complies with relevant safety standards.
The site, off Henry Boot Way - highly visible from Clive Sullivan Way - was lit up blue as part of the praise for the NHS during lockdown.
It was built by Scunthorpe’s Clugston Construction, and was one of the last projects to complete before it collapsed into administration with losses centred around energy from waste projects. It features 1,500 tonnes of steel, and sophisticated fire prevention systems.
Next to come for Arco is a new head office by the Fruit Market, currently under construction.
