Do you have enough labour in the warehouse?

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A shortage of warehouse labour has long been a problem for the logistics industry but, since the Brexit referendum, it’s been exacerbated by apprehension for UK based European labour and the weakening of the pound.

In 2016 workers from the EU accounted for 17% of the UKs warehousing workforce.

As Britain embarks on the transition period on March 29th 2019, there is still uncertainty around how Brexit will affect UK industry and its ability to secure enough labour to deal with demand.

If you are struggling to secure a complete fulfilment team, here are some ideas to help you reduce the workload:

VMI/JIT managed packaging stock

Managing multiple packaging SKUs onsite can be time consuming – shifting to Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) or JIT stock can remove a lot of handling and administration. Working with a supplier to manage inventory and deliver stock as it’s required can ensure continuity of supply with invoicing raised on use of stock – this can also be beneficial to your cash flow. JIT stock can also reduce the amount of storage space required on site. Read more here.

Speed up the packing time

When you use packaging that’s quick to assemble, pack and wrap, you can significantly increase the number of packs that you put through per hour – meaning that you are more adequately covered to deal with peak times, negating the need for additional labour. Quick hits to look at are boxes that require lots of taping, complex die-cut cartons that are fiddly to assemble and packs that require lots of void fill. Read more here.

Automate for maximum impact

Automation will allow you to handle large volumes whilst guaranteeing quality – in less space, with better control of costs. You can start small with a strapping or stretch machine, go medium with box erectors and tapers and, finally, go large with Auto boxing and bagging machines. There is automation to suit every size of business. Read more here.

When you reduce the number of touches to a product or pack, it’s not only reducing the amount of manual handling and potential for health and safety breaches but, speeding up your operation too.

Why not contact us today to find out how we can help you get through the labour shortfall.

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