A DISTRIBUTION centre that delivers to 243 McDonald’s restaurants has celebrated its 10th anniversary in Basingstoke.

Keystone Distribution, based in Houndmills Road, manages the supply chain for McDonald’s, delivering more than nine million cases of Happy Meals, Big Macs, French fries and other products for the fast food giant, across the South, South West, South and West Wales, and as far north as Worcester as well as the Isle of Wight and Jersey.

The 60,000sq ft Keystone facility is one of three operated by in the UK – the other two are in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and Heywood, Lancashire.

Basingstoke’s general manager Vince McLean said the site opened in November 1999 as a Golden West Food distribution centre, and the company was taken over by American-owned Keystone Distribution in 2005.

Vince said: “In the current economic environment, it’s really great news to be able to report that 10 years on, the centre is prospering and still providing great service to McDonald’s restaurants – and employing more than 150 people from the Basingstoke area.

"And it’s great that we still have so many of our people with us after 10 years, helping to provide great service to the customer.”

Among the 22 staff who received a 10-year service award from Keystone is warehouse manager Mark Hibbs, who started off working at the site as an agency fork-lift truck driver.

Mark said: “My favourite part of the job – apart from the people I work with – is that every day is different, and every day brings a new challenge. “It also feels good to part of a winning team. Basingstoke picked up the company’s Distribution Centre of the Year award last year, which shows just how far we have come over the years.

“I can’t honestly believe it’s been 10 years – I guess that must mean we are having some fun along the way.”

Vince said that since Keystone Distribution took over the Golden West operation, there has been heavy investment at the Basingstoke site.

He said: “We are a very people- focused business and Keystone has invested in people and in training, new systems and new processes and that has made us much better as a company in what we do.”

Investment has also gone into upgrading its fork-lift truck fleet and charging area, a new fuel island, improved lighting and new CCTV and security systems.

And the investment looks set to continue with the site getting a new vehicle fleet in early 2010, replacing the current 25 articulated and six rigid lorries. And the business is clearly environmentally aware.

“We currently run our vehicle fleet on bio fuel, which is made from used cooking oil from McDonald’s restaurants,” said Vince. He added that Keystone collects all waste cardboard generated by the fast food chain nationwide, typifing how well integrated the company is with McDonald’s.

Despite the recession, Vince is upbeat about the future. He said: “McDonald’s have been very successful in the market place this year, volume and sales wise, and obviously when they are successful, we are successful.

“The McDonald’s business model in the UK seems to work and they seem to be more popular today than they’ve ever been. As long as we are associated with them, and are doing a good job for them, the future looks bright.”