TRANSPORT group Eddie Stobart has extended its links with soft drinks firm Britvic, with an additional distribution contract.

The three-year deal covers all of Britvic’s key manufacturing and distribution sites across the UK, as well as customer deliveries from a number of distribution centres throughout the country.

Warrington-based logistics group Stobart said it will involve road- and rail-based distribution services.

It declined to reveal the value of the arrangement, but described it as a “multi-million pound” contract and the largest distribution requirement awarded by Britvic in the UK.

It complements an existing 20-year logistics relationship between Eddie Stobart and Britvic.

Stobart Group chief executive Andrew Tinkler said: “We are extremely pleased to have this opportunity to build upon our long-term partnership with Britvic.

“Our multimodal logistics offering will help deliver efficiency benefits and, through our rail freight network, Stobart Group can help Britvic meet, and even exceed, its carbon reduction targets.”

He added: “Our business model and tracking systems increase client confidence by providing operational information that most other companies can’t deliver.”

The Stobart group employs more than 5,000 staff, including about 1,000 across the Merseyside and Cheshire region.

It operates its key trucking hub in Warrington and has established a leading multimodal operation at Runcorn and Widnes, where it has brought together road, rail and sea-based transport options.

It is also developing the Widnes site as a major distribution and warehousing operation for blue-chip clients.

The first to open earlier this year was a Tesco facility which will employ up to 1,500 staff by next year.

Stobart believes up to 5,000 new warehousing and distribution jobs could be created by similar developments on the site within 10 years.