The site will accommodate the new branch of Premier Beswick, the paper merchanting division of the group. Premier's packaging board division, Premier Hedsorboard, will also relocate to the site.

Managing director Graham Griffiths said the branch is a strategic move that is part of the planned withdrawal from GM2 Logistics, the distribution arm of merchants James McNaughton and Antalis.

The logistics arm was part of the Premier Paper Group when the merchant was a subsidiary of Antalis.

In March last year, Beswick Paper acquired Premier Paper Group for £19m.

Premier Paper Group's progressive withdraw from GM2 and the setting up its own logistics company is part and parcel of the acquisition.

Griffiths said: "Opening up a new branch is counter-intuitive to what many other companies are doing.

"However, this is part of our own strategy to provide localised service."

The group also has plans to open up other branches, and Griffiths said that by the third quarter of the year, it will have disengaged from the GM2 initiative completely.

The Langley branch will service customers in West London, the Home Counties and the Sussex coast. Ten delivery trucks will be based at the site, which will stock over 1,000 tonnes of products.

The sales operation will be headed by branch sales manger Dave Avey and regional director Michael Beever will have responsibility for the area.

Beever said: "The reaction from customers to the new branch opening has been brilliant."