International Decorative Surfaces (IDS) is investing £1.2m in a new branch in Ely, to strategically improve its service in the south of England.

Construction work on a 60,000ft2 warehouse, featuring undercover loading, and an office suite will start at the company’s existing rail head operation at Ely next month.

Once completed in December, the branch will be the company’s tenth and its largest operation apart from the central distribution centre at Nuneaton . It will focus on supplying panel products to its kitchen, shopfitting and furniture manufacturing customer base.

IDS says the expansion will allows it to take full advantage of the rail head, with products loaded onto rail wagons at supplier factories in Austria and Switzerland, then transported directly to Ely. It claims that European stock deliveries will also be made speedier and more efficient, with the environmental bonus of less transport on roads.

&#8220The new branch gives us a strong regional platform to deliver a first class product and service package”

IDS key account director Keely Baker

IDS key account director Keely Baker said: “Decorative panels, especially MFC, are an important market sector for us, especially in the south of England. The new branch gives us a strong regional platform to deliver a first class product and service package.”

The Ely development is part of a sustained investment programme in warehousing, logistics, transport, IT, training, showroom and customer service over the past three years.