Online retailers are used to dealing with seasonal peaks in demand and we have worked with many to help accommodate increased stock levels and short-term overspill. Our multi-use temporary buildings, that are quick to deploy, can better meet the needs of organisations who must respond to seasonal pressure points and accelerating levels of growth.
Sportswear International (SWI) saw their volumes rise during the summer months and were required to operate 24 hours a day at this time. They briefed us to design a building solution that could offer more space to cope with the increased volume of goods filtering in and out and maintain continuous work-flow through the main warehouse. According to SWI’s Commercial Director, the temporary extension measuring just under 4,000 sq ft. gave them the flexibility to transform this space into a different working layout every day so they could cope with the challenges it faced across dynamic periods.
In the past year however retailers have experienced a continuous surge in demand as consumers look to have everything delivered to their homes. The peaks and troughs have just merged into one continuous peak and businesses are having to quickly re-evaluate how they can support this volume as the new normal.
They need to find solutions quickly but are advised to be cautious when it comes to making fast-track, large-scale investments because if we’ve learnt anything over the past year it’s that things can change a lot and very fast.
Some are able to repurpose under-utilised space into an e-commerce micro-fulfillment solution but this can be restrictive on certain systems and processes that allow for smooth operations. Specifically in the loading bay area, efficiency is critical if a business is going to successfully increase it’s delivery service capacity. Our flexible loading bay solutions have therefore never been more relevant in this booming ecommerce environment.
Recently we completed a project for The Dash Group who offer a range of logistics solutions locally across the South West and deliver fast moving goods to retailers and consumers across the UK. The Dash Group found that the surge in online shopping, spurred on by the coronavirus, was starting to put pressure on it’s supply chains as existing distribution facilities reached full capacity and expectations for next day or even same day delivery were becoming commonplace.
Having successfully won a contract with Tuffnells parcel delivery company it was clear they needed additional facilities to fulfil their business obligations in the hard to reach Cornwall area. Rather than renting or building conventional permanent space, a temporary, bespoke distribution loading bay, measuring 25m wide x 7m long x 4.8m internal height, was considered the best, most cost-effective solution, enabling them to make critical changes quickly without compromising day-to-day business. The rapid design and build process, which is customary for all CopriSystems’ structures, means that canopies can usually be installed and fully operational within eight weeks of ordering.
The new structure includes retractable curtain doors at the front and rear of the building to allow easy and constant access to vehicles of varying configurations. It has also helped encourage a more fluent workflow inbound and outbound and enabled better health and safety in the loading area.
As the hub of the business, a busy loading bay is exactly what you want to see. It is however a high-risk environment and you need sufficient space to allow for the constant interaction between employees, trucks and forklifts. With our efficient spatial planning you can establish a strong safety culture while minimising operational bottlenecks and maximising productivity.
