Short-term warehousing solutions with long-term flexibility

From what we are hearing, the warehousing and distribution industry are facing a duality of excess space available and a severe lack of it.

On the one hand, ecommerce businesses are under increasing pressure to fulfil orders in record time and therefore need stock that is ready to go the minute shoppers have checked out their basket but on the other hand, they are anxious about holding too much stock.  Brands and retailers are displaying a wary behaviour on what they are willing to commit to, no doubt influenced by the significant fluctuations experienced by supply chains in recent years.

Ecommerce continues to boom and customer expectations are at an all-time high.  Delivery times are shrinking as the pressure for speed increases.  Orders are smaller but more frequent, which increases the demand for efficiency even during times of market volatility and supply chain disruption.  Responding quickly to last minute orders and ensuring timely fulfilment is especially critical during peak shopping seasons like Black Friday and Christmas but planning for the rest of the year is a challenge. Throw in the money-saving trends for a “low buy” or even “no buy” 2025 as well as ‘project pan’ which are being pushed by powerful social media channels and the pressure mounts further.  Consumers may be pushing back against over-consumption but still expect speed and efficiency when they resist the urge to impulse buy. Satisfying consumer demand matters more than ever in a highly competitive industry as it doesn’t just drive repeat business but it fuels online reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations, which generate new business.  It’s exhausting, but if the warehouse buildings intended for optimum storage, efficient goods handling, careful loading and unloading etc are not fit for purpose then the whole operation is likely to be at risk

Efficiency is paramount and scalability is critical.  Being flexible and adaptable to changing market dynamics doesn’t just apply to how much stock is held but how it is held.  Wasted space will waste money but a lack of space could reveal weaknesses in warehouse operations during intense periods.

For over 35 years, we have been designing industrial warehouse buildings that are flexible enough to evolve with a business and versatile enough to respond to differing trends.  They are built to last but, in this climate of caution, more and more clients are looking for temporary solutions.  Businesses that are unable to look too far ahead, are adopting shorter-term strategies with the anticipation of having to adapt quickly. Temporary warehousing can remove the long-term commitment of adding more bricks and mortar or entering into a fixed rental agreement on a site.  The location of warehouse buildings seems to be as critical as the space they offer, since micro-fulfilment centres and last-mile delivery solutions appear t0 be increasingly popular.  Strategically located warehouses enhance the agility of a business and our buildings help to address this issue as they can be easily removed, relocated and repurposed.

Innovation is key and obviously, there has been a lot of progress made in automation and robotics, artificial intelligence, cloud-based management and advanced data analytics but innovation doesn’t just apply to technology.  Rethinking how best to optimise the space you’ve already got and the space you need, whether that’s on demand for a short-term spike or on a long-term basis, can also help to innovate your operations so they can cope effectively in a fluctuating, rapidly evolving industry.  

With a traditional build, the space is rigid and doesn’t offer the elasticity that businesses need to thrive.  Our buildings are fully bespoke and designed to your specifications, no matter how awkward the shape, height, size or orientation.  They are quick to deploy and can be easily modified to provide the much-needed flexibility required.

Their versatility also makes them suitable for collaborative, shared warehousing, which can help businesses increase efficiency by pooling resources and reducing expenses without having to shoulder the financial burden alone.  If one company decides to move on and go solo, the structure can be easily modified to suit new tenants or work even harder for the remaining business.

If warehouse buildings are going to remain relevant, they need to evolve with the industry they serve.