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In the warehouse industry, the safety of employees is the most important responsibility that any facility owners can undertake. Employees have the right to work in a safe environment, and employers have a duty of care to make sure they get it.

Safety awareness programmes are a good way to keep the rules and safety measures in place, fresh in the minds of warehouse workers. Not only will it raise awareness (as the title says) but it may keep accidents that result in injury and in turn absenteeism, from happening.

Here are some formal and informal ways of implementing a safety awareness plan in your warehouse that won’t ostracise your employees.

1. Communicate your plan

It’s important to tell the workforce about any changes to health and safety policy, so hold a meeting to announce the plan and a brief outline of its content. This can also be implemented into any ongoing training programme to keep things fresh in employees’ minds. A safety commitment or declaration could also be signed.

2. Develop your plan

You may need to work with your HR department or consultant to identify the focus of your plan. If there is machinery or electrical components and equipment that employees will use, set out the guidance accordingly. Ladders, lifts, and racking will need to have their safety features reviewed and it needs to be made clear about which personnel can and can’t use them.

3. Put it down on paper

You’d be surprised how many people make plans and rules but don’t record them. Putting rules, regulations, and safety measures down in black and white helps to commit them to employees’ memories.

4. Post plans in convenient locations

To keep rules, regulations, and safety tips fresh in workers’ minds, post them throughout your warehouse. Equipment, staff rooms and work areas are all ideal places to get your message across. Keeping safety at the forefront of minds will make them think before embarking on any precarious situations.

5. Offer incentives

A reward scheme can often have a positive impact when trying to implement new rules. It could be a small prize like some sweets or chocolates for those who comply with new safety rules 100% of the time. Even something small will get people talking thereby raising awareness.

6. Check your insurance

Implementing a new safety programme could have an effect on your liability insurance premiums. After all, it’s like another layer of security within your business, so it’s worth checking with your insurer. You could find that you’re eligible for a discount!

 

Here at Eynesbury Warehousing we are established providers of clean, secure, self-store container storage and warehousing storage solutions in St Neots, Cambridgeshire at competitive rates. Call us on 01480 215555 to discuss your requirements or find out more here.

We have certainly lived through some uncertain times over the last 2 years. Unprecedented in fact, as after the pressures of Brexit on many UK businesses, a further hit came in the form of the Coronavirus pandemic. Never before have we, within our lifetimes, experienced such a thing as Covid, and the repercussions will more than likely be felt for generations to come.

Businesses across nearly every sector have had to adapt to a new way of operating in order to survive, not least the warehousing industry. After the pressure eased slightly after Brexit stockpiling, the warehousing sector now faces challenges fuelled by the pandemic; consumer buying habits have changed as shops were forced to close during lockdowns, resulting in them heading online to spend. This has a knock on effect on the logistics industry as they have had to adapt to the change in new purchasing habits, whilst meeting the high demands in consumer goods, as the fast pace of e-commerce gains even more momentum and demand for home and next day deliveries increases.

High streets across the country have already seen a decline in footfall over the past few years, even before the emergence of Covid. More and more shop units stand empty and some huge retail chains have fallen by the wayside, such as the Arcadia Group, Toys R Us and Poundworld. Covid seems to have accelerated the decline in our high streets more quickly, so what could this mean for logistics and warehousing?

Well, in fact, the growth of e-fulfilment warehousing space was already on the rise, with online retail sales in the UK accounting for 20% of the makeup during 2019. And in March 2020 (the month that the UK went into its first lockdown) online customers spent a whopping £1.5 billion. Now demand could increase further which means huge increases in requirements for warehousing facilities and space.

With the e-commerce market continuing to expand, providing warehouse space that meets the needs of suppliers is set to become of valuable importance. Home working for some during the pandemic has become a permanent arrangement, so allowing customers to access information online is essential for adapting to new ways of working, meaning digitalised operations are becoming more common.

Supply chains have suffered throughout the pandemic with different country shutdowns playing a part. This has had a knock on effect and an increase in stock to mitigate delays and shows the need for extra warehouse space across the country.

When selling warehouse space, you must always be mindful of price, and value for money for your customers. Overpricing could see you eliminated as a facility, but under pricing could see you viewed as an inferior or lower quality solution.

Here at Eynesbury Warehousing we provide commercial storage unit solutions for businesses throughout Bedford, Cambridge and Hertfordshire offering self-storage or palletised storage options including full RH&D to suit our customers’ needs. Call us on 01480 215555 or find out more here.

If you run a commercial business, you know the importance of an efficient supply chain. Knowing about storage, distribution, and the logistics of keeping ahead in the warehouse stakes is all well and good, but if your business starts to outgrow its own current warehouse space, then what options are available to you?

When In-house storage is at capacity, the simplest solutions is to rent warehouse space from a dedicated facility, either permanently or for peak demand times or seasonal periods. But in which other ways is renting warehouse space good for your business?

Time and Space

Space is a big concern when looking for new warehousing, particularly if your business deals in large or bulky goods and stock. Most warehouses offer flexibility; the amount of storage space you need might change if you expand or downsize in the future. Not only that, but it can be the cheapest short term solution, leaving more capital to put back into the business.

Having a team of experts in the warehousing business to take care of your storage needs frees up time for you to concentrate on other matters.

If you are looking to expand the growth of your business, warehouse space can be taken up almost immediately, but building your own facility would take months in which time you could have missed out on several business opportunities.

Focus

Hiring warehouse space allows you to focus completely on your business rather than having to run a commercial property alongside it.

Tracking

When you rent warehouse space your business will benefit from the supplier’s inventory management and tracking; your stock will always be easily located within their computerised systems.

No Maintenance Issues

When renting warehouse space there are no maintenance costs. Running your own warehouse would mean that any damage or repairs to the fabric of your building would be down to you. But by renting you eliminate that cost.

An added benefit of renting warehouse space within a facility is that the pallet racking, and other storage is all there ready for your stock.

Long or Short Term Solutions

Many companies that use rented warehouse space do so because they only need it short term. But how about the long termers? They have the luxury of not worrying about updating equipment and systems or hiring experienced and knowledgeable warehouse staff. The option to use it either in the short term or for the foreseeable future and the flexibility it offers is something that any business would find attractive.

 

If you are looking for commercial warehouse solutions then you’ll find us situated just outside of St Neots town, with fast access to the A1, A14 and A428, centrally located between Huntingdon, Bedford, Cambourne and Baldock. Our location is perfect to provide easily accessible storage and warehousing for Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire.

Clients’ property is safe in our secure warehouse and self-storage facility protected by our professionally installed, maintained, and monitored state-of-the-art Security Alarm System, backed up by fully recorded CCTV. You can contact us on 01480 215555 for more information or click here.

When choosing which type of warehousing is best for your business it’s likely that there will be many considerations, the most important being cost effectiveness. Scaling up or down your business in the future could also be a huge factor, and one that is as important in the near future as it is further down the line. But before you go all out and buy or build a new warehouse, here’s why we think renting warehouse space is the perfect solution, both in the long term and short term.

The Cost

Buying or building private warehousing is a huge investment and will take a chunk out of your capital. Renting warehousing space will give you room to store your goods and products whilst providing you with the equipment and infrastructure needed at a fraction of the cost. An established warehouse will handle the complexities of logistics and distribution. This is good news to a new business, and far less risk to its capital.

Expert Advice

When you choose to rent space in an established warehouse you will receive expert service and advice from its experienced staff, giving you more time to run your business.

Different Warehouse Options

Scaling up and down is common in business, particularly when the economy is unsteady. During quieter periods it may be necessary to store excess stock and inventory for short periods of time. This is when self-storage comes in handy. Renting a container to house office furniture or other assets that are redundant for now but will be needed in the future is a good solution.

It’s Flexible

If you own your own warehouse and need to sell it, that’s a huge responsibility. Then you have the headache of finding another larger or smaller unit depending on your needs. But when you rent warehouse space, as your business expands or downsizes then you have flexibility to adapt the amount of space you need. So long as you give your provider enough notice, they’ll cater to your requirements.

 

Of course, there are benefits to having your own private warehouse in the right circumstances. If your business is large enough to warrant the overhead and employ staff members to oversee the effective running of the facility, then this could be the option worth considering. But if you have little or no experience in running a warehouse, then the benefits listed above should be enough to convince you to rent your space, at least for the time being.

Eynesbury Warehousing provide the experience and expertise needed to look after your commercial storage needs. Our fully computerised stock control system maintains efficient storage and retrieval of your goods and your stock is secure and protected by professionally installed and monitored alarms and CCTV.

Call our sales team today to discuss your company’s requirements. Phone 01480 215555 or visit our contact page here.

It may seem like an age until Christmas, but the retail and hospitality sectors have been gearing up ready for the festive season for months already. Warehousing doesn’t need to be any different. With stock ordered and ready for sale, this is the time to put your festive holiday plans together, to ensure a smooth transition both in and out of what is, for some, the busiest time of the year.

Christmas can often be a logistical headache for many warehouse consumers across the country, but it doesn’t need to be if you get organised in plenty of time.  All areas of business need to be running as efficiently as possible in order to generate sales whilst reducing costs, and this needs to include maximising your available warehouse space. You should also:

• Review your previous years’ sales

To ensure that you have the correct stock replenishment you should review your sales performance year on year. This will indicate stock popularity and enable you to make informed decisions about order volumes, thus avoiding stock shortage or surplus. Mismanaged inventories can cause significant financial problems, so track inventory, and monitor what is stored in the warehouse. Seasonal products are just that; there is usually a limited amount of time when sales will be live so it’s important to stay up to date with buying trends.

• Utilise your warehouse space

Take advantage of your available space, including vertically! You might benefit from zoning off or partitioning your areas so that you can organise and optimise the layout before peak season hits! Think about clearing out old lines that won’t sell to make way for newer, faster moving ones.

Of course, it’s worth remembering that with an increase in sales, there could also be an increase in returns, so provision should be made for this eventuality.  Damaged, unwanted, or unsuitable stock returns can be a problem, not least for a small business. They have an impact on the finances of a business as well as storage implications.

• Appraise your equipment

Warehouse equipment failure is not an option, particularly at the busiest time of year. Evaluate the equipment needed in your warehouse space. The law states that machinery such as forklifts be maintained to a safe condition, but if you rent space, your warehouse provider will have taken care of this; they cannot afford to be un-operational so will maintain all their equipment to a high standard.

• Remember safety

It is required by law that you have proper signage across your premises to protect customers, visitors, employees, and inventory. This extends to your warehouse space too. Ensure that all signage is visible and legible so that everybody is made aware of any potential dangers or hazards.

 

Here at Eynesbury Warehousing we provide long and short-term storage solutions within our clean dry warehouse. Call our sales team today on 01480 215555 to discuss your company’s requirements or click here for more information.

If you own a small business, you know how important it is for everything to run as smoothly as possible. This means that you need to be organised and efficient and to maximise every asset you have, even down to the last square inch of warehouse space. There are several ways in which you can make the most out of your storage, whether you have a facility on site or simply rent space in an external one.

 

1. Organising a usable layout is key in keeping your warehouse space efficient. Staff will need to access it regularly, so it needs logical order. Having to move pallets every five minutes to get to frequently used items is a drain on productivity, so ensure your space is user friendly. You may need to re-arrange stock from time to time depending on whether you have seasonal or time sensitive stock, so shelving, racking or storage units may need adjusting to accommodate this.

 

2. When organising you warehouse space, be sure to regularly review your stock; have you made provision for new stock to be delivered? It’s sensible practice to organise items based on their type or use, keeping them in one central location. This way you can easily find items you are looking for. Try to fit your inventory neatly and use containers which are size appropriate. One small box inside a large container is wasted space.

 

3. Old stock can take up precious space in a warehouse, and if you’re never going to sell it, get rid of it! It’s money down the drain when you’re not maximising space that could be used for faster moving or new lines. Unless you need to store your business’ assets, keep control over your stock. Out with the old, in with the new!

 

4. Warehouse management software will help you move with the times. Keeping abreast of your inventory is much easier with modern technologies. If you rent warehouse space, your provider will have many clients, and so have an automated system is

 

5. If your provider has access to forklift trucks or other lifting equipment, then vertical space can be utilised. Adjusting or increasing shelf height will allow a greater volume of stock to be stored on a small footprint.

 

6. Clearing up your floor space might sound like an obvious action, but you’d be surprised about how much space is wasted because of debris and detritus. Unused equipment and pallets can account for a large portion of valuable storage space that it is not used to its full potential.

 

At Eynesbury Warehousing we provide commercial storage unit solutions for businesses throughout Bedford, Cambridge and Hertfordshire offering self-storage or palletised storage options. Call our sales team today on 01480 215555 to discuss your company’s requirements. We will be the best storage company you have ever used!

No client is too small in today’s climate as we struggle to claw back lost sales, revenue, and business that was lost when the pandemic hit last year. It’s no different in the warehouse sector and even the smaller clients can make up a large chunk of revenue. So whether you’re the warehouse owner, or the small business looking for space, providing or finding the right unit is important and can be advantageous to all concerned.

 

If you’re the Warehouse provider

Small businesses may just be your bread and butter! Don’t overlook what they bring to the table, as multiple smaller clients can add up to a large profit.  Never underestimate what the future might hold for a small or start up business; they may not have the stock or inventory to justify hiring a large space right now, but they may anticipate rapid growth and need extra warehouse space in a relatively short time frame. As their business grows, so could yours!

In the meantime, maximising the space given to the client is key. Rearranging inventory and its storage and shelving will make the most of the space that your client is paying for until they’re ready to buy more space when their business grows.

 

If you’re the Small Business Owner

Do your research. Before you rush into a bright, shiny, new facility, talk to some existing ones too. A new facility could experience ‘teething troubles’ and some systems take a while to get right. The advantage of an existing facility is that they’ll have a wealth of experience, have tried and tested systems in place and are better geared up to be more flexible with your requirements.

Having said this, all warehouses should offer you certain features, regardless of how long they’ve been in business; appropriate storage/shelving or racking for your products and the methods in which to fulfil your orders. This could involve transporting stock with forklifts, all of which will meet safety standards.

With seasonal shopping being big business, many small companies rely on the likes of Black Friday and Christmas sales for the majority of their turnover. But where can you store your seasonal stock? Warehousing (particularly if your chosen facility provides flexible services) is the answer to a small business’ prayers.

Warehouses, by design are safe places for mass storage, giving you a safe and secure place to store your goods. Competent security can help keep your mind at rest, knowing that the products you store there are safe. They’re built to be sturdy and keep your goods safe in almost all situations.

 

Here at Eynesbury Warehousing, all stock is professionally handled by our trained and experienced staff. Storage and retrieval of palletised goods is effectively controlled by our fully computerised stock control system, providing an instant and responsive service. We have a well established facility, backed up by years of experience. Servicing Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire, we have excellent transport links making us the perfect choice for small and large businesses alike. Find out more here.

With the UK’s vaccination programme having been rolled out and offered to every adult, the results are a welcome relief for everybody involved. New infections will fluctuate for some time to come, but thankfully the death rate has dropped dramatically, and the panic associated with the virus seems to be subsiding.

 

As restrictions ease, it is essential that we do not let our guard down. Cleanliness and social distancing must be enforced for the foreseeable future if we are all to remain safe and halt the spread of the virus. But what has become clear in the past 12 months, is that many of the instructions issued to help keep us safe have now become a habit. Experts say that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic, so to wear a mask, stay socially distant and keep up a routine of hygiene and cleanliness has now become second nature.

 

In the warehousing world, cleanliness procedures are in place to keep the workforce safe and practices applied to help them stick to their new habits.

 

Here are our top tips to help maintain warehouse cleanliness and hygiene, in the current situation as well as beyond the pandemic.

 

Safe pick up and drop off

Provide safe pick up and drop off points at your warehouse premises. Make sure all incoming stock and packages are sanitised and handled carefully. Try not to share pens and tools etc, but if you must, keep the supply sanitary.

 

Disinfection station

Make disinfecting wipes and or gels available so that personnel can clean as often as they need to. Drivers may want to wipe down their cabs or forklifts between shifts, particularly if they are operated by more than one person.

 

Ventilation

Keep good ventilation within your facility. Opening windows will help create a draught that will keep the air inside moving. The use of fans could help to draw fresh air in but may also move contaminated air and airborne germs around, so should be used with caution, particularly in staff dense areas.

 

Work in stages

Keeping a large facility clean and sanitised is a big undertaking. Make employees responsible for a specific area; creating a checklist will help keep track of when each area was last cleaned.

 

Talk to your workforce

Explaining why these rules are in force will give a better understanding, even for those who have been fully vaccinated. Treat your rules as you would any other health and safety issue; it is an employer’s duty of care to ensure all employees are safe while they are at work.

 

Are you looking for a warehousing solution in the Cambs, Beds or Herts region?

Situated just outside of St Neots town, with fast access to the A1, A14 and A428, centrally located between Huntingdon, Bedford, Cambourne and Baldock, our location is perfect to provide easily accessible storage and warehousing for Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. You can get in touch with us directly on 01480 215555 or click here for more details.

While warehousing ownership has many advantages, the obligations connected with leasing or buying your own facility can outweigh the benefits for most growing businesses. You may be weighing up whether owning or contracting warehouse space is the best decision for you and your company. Let us help you decide!

Think space!

Weigh up the risks involved with committing to a set amount of square footage. When you own a warehouse there is not much room for manoeuvre so you could find yourself with surplus empty space, or not enough during seasonal periods. Contracting allows a far more flexible approach, with room to breathe at peak times.

Sound business investment?

The cost of setting up a fully functioning warehouse is not one to be sniffed at. It is difficult to operate without state of the art inventory monitoring and security systems which all cost money that could be ploughed back into your business elsewhere. Renting space means that those costs are taken care of by the facility owner.

Low starting costs

You need a space that is ready to move your stock into, right? Buying or building a facility is bound to take time, not to mention money that you might not have. With contracted services there is no timescale, no waiting for construction and/or maintenance repairs, and no huge bill at the end of it. Just a monthly rental cost without any unforeseen or unexpected charges.

Scale up or down

Contract warehousing allows you to grow along with your business. There’s room to expand when you need to and similarly decrease your space during leaner periods. Your needs can change in an instant, so it is important to have a flexible approach, especially if you run a small or new business. Wasted space is money down the drain and can cause strain on the rest of your business, stealing your focus from more important matters.

Why choose Eynesbury Warehousing?

Because we are committed to providing an excellent service with attention to detail. Situated out of town, with excellent access to the A1, A14 and A428, our Cambridgeshire location is perfect to provide easily accessible storage.

For further information please give our team a call on 01480 215555 for a free no obligation quotation.