Kia Motors (UK) Limited has confirmed that it has appointed Clugston, the privately-owned Group which has interests in construction, property, facilities management and logistics, to extend its distribution centre at Stallingborough, North Lincolnshire.

Situated three miles from the Port of Immingham, the distribution centre is a key hub for all Kia models entering the UK from its European factory in Slovakia and its overseas factories in Korea. Providing storage for an additional 8,000 cars the 16.8-hectare new site adjoins the current facility and will be accessed via a road bridge, and a separate transporter entrance allowing Kia flexibility in how the site is utilised.

The new facility will take 32 weeks to construct and is expected to be fully operational in November 2019. Throughout construction it will employ over 80 staff who will move over 200,000 tonnes of soil, lay 33,000 tonnes of tarmac and paint 43 miles of white lines. Wildlife concerns have also been taken into consideration on site where an additional 9,000m² of wetland habitat will be created with swales and ditches providing habitation for local wildlife, as well 2,611m² of tree planting.

Kia are also investigating options for Solar PV generation which will support its battery charging facilities for its range of electric and hybrid models that come from Europe and Korea.

Working alongside Clugston and Kia are four main consultants. 3PL Real Estate will provide overall development management, Hewitt Associates Limited provide project management and quantity surveying as well as being the principal designer, clerk of works and providing health and safety advice. Working on structural design services are Mason Clark Associates who will also provide pre-contract civils and structural design services and post-contract design and quality reviews. Lastly, working with Kia are Ridings Consulting who are responsible for pre-contract electrical design services and post contract design and quality reviews.

Over 92,586 Kia cars were imported into the UK in 2018 and the figure is expected to rise with Kia’s ambitious plans to sell 100,000 cars a year by 2020. Over 1,000,000 Kia models have been sold in the UK since the brand first started in the UK in 1991.

The multi-million-pound development highlights the confidence the brand has in the UK and its continued presence within the UK market – the UK is the brand’s fifth biggest market globally and Kia ranks in the top 10 of car brands in the UK for sales.