Warehouse managers face a difficult situation – costs, for everything, are rising – and demand – for most things – is increasing. This means that warehouse space has to contain more stock, operate more rapidly and still deliver efficiently. Warehouse rental cost has surged up since the pandemic which means that many small warehouses are attractive propositions because they cost less, as long as they can operate effectively. However, small and medium sized warehouses also have some distinct advantages over their larger counterparts, when used appropriately.
It’s a given that smaller warehouses have smaller … Read More
It’s not always clear if technology is transforming warehouses, or if demand is forcing new technological developments to emerge. What we know is that technology, specifically automation, is becoming increasingly necessary to warehousing and logistics for three reasons:
In more detail:
1 – Not knowing your stock, sending out the wrong stock, or having supply chain failures so that you lack the right stock at the right time, is always expensive. A recent survey … Read More
Dark warehouses are the future, but they aren’t the immediate future. In 2021, only 20% of warehouses had any degree of automation, which means 80% of warehousing is still completely non-automated. However, there’s a strong chance that if you operate warehouse space and have an international supply chain, at least part of that chain may be dark. And projected figures say that by 2030, robots and other forms of automation technology are going to reach 85% of warehouses – and this will happen quicker in Europe than other parts of the world, because the cost of human personnel is … Read More
There are three distinct areas of warehouse operation: inbound, storage and picking. Each of these areas has the capacity to be streamlined. In a competitive warehousing environment customers expect rapid and efficient order fulfilment and that’s just one of the benefits that come from optimising warehouse logistics. There are other benefits too – reducing costs, improving responsiveness and developing systems that enable better decision-making. Warehouse logistics can be a complex business, but this article will explore the key areas in which streamlining warehouse logistics can benefit any warehouse – whether large or small – and how to go about the … Read More
While we might not think of grocery warehousing space as being industry leading but companies like Ocado in the UK and Instacart in the USA and Canada, are pushing the boundaries of rapid fulfilment, whilst delivery structures like Ocado and Getir have changed warehousing operations to allow them to live up to their slogan of ‘groceries in minutes’. And while it’s true that Getir has been experiencing some financing problems recently and has pulled its operations in France and Spain, that doesn’t negate the impact that the new forms of grocery warehousing are having on omni-channel operating, facility upgrades and … Read More
Warehouse operations have substantial environmental impacts. To be sustainable, warehousing needs to find a balance between profit and sustainable or ‘green’ practices.
At its most basic, green warehousing means reducing energy consumption. However, an inclusive green warehousing strategy can impact every area of warehouse activity from packaging to distribution, from pallet storage to logistics. In fact, logistics can be one of the easiest warehouse areas to ‘green’. Greening your warehouse can offer a near immediate return on investment (ROI) and also allows you to position yourself as a leader in sustainable … Read More
This has only recently become a topic of consideration for UK warehouse users and it has been a while since it was even much of a possibility. In 2021/22 there was an intense scarcity of warehouse space and warehouse managers were so desperate that they were paying premium prices for any warehousing that did become available. The causes of this problem were:
Companies having expanded warehouse space during the pandemic to allow them to hold more stocks close to the end customer.
Companies moving their goods into the UK to save on delivery costs.
However, now … Read More
Keeping a warehouse running smoothly involves a number of balancing acts – one of them is adopting and integrating new technologies alongside existing systems.
Broadly speaking, ‘legacy’ refers to any outdated computer system (software or hardware) that’s still being used. Legacy systems aren’t necessarily obsolete – many continue to work and continue to be essential to the function of the warehouse.
The elements that make a system ‘legacy’ are:
Four years ago, nobody would have predicted how much warehouse space in the UK would currently be used for food. Demand from food manufacturers and retailers increased by 58% over the past 12 months, after highly publicised shortages left shops empty at the beginning of the year. There is a record 4.3 million square feet of warehouse space currently occupied with food – or food production. Warehouse space has been used, not just for storing food, but for processing and even for growing it, with the UK’s biggest vertical farm in Harlow containing 105,000 strawberry plants – all housed in … Read More
Every warehouse manager knows how difficult conditions have been since the pandemic and finding solutions has been equally challenging. Warehousing space in high demand areas is at an all-time demand high and even 3PLs in those geographic areas are starting to be choosy about the clients they work with, because they are so much in demand. Warehouse rental is becoming highly profitable which makes moving or relocating more difficult, and more expensive. When you aggregate together higher costs, competition for warehousing space and demand for trained personnel, finding internal ways to build competitive advantage can be significant. In addition, if … Read More