Welcome to the February 15th issue of Warehouse & Logistics News. It’s Valentine season out there in consumer land. Speaking of love ballads, sadly the legendary Demis Roussos is no longer with us but his music lives on. Here in the business world, snow has been gripping the Northern parts of the UK in a love embrace, but economic spring is definitely in the air, with noticeable renewed confidence.
Are you looking to hook up with new supplier partners for your business needs? You’ll find plenty of inspiration in this issue with the companies we highlight in our features. ‘Pallet Networks’ is a review of the major European, UK and regional pallet networks. ‘Power Sources’ covers motive power in the warehouse and logistics environment, including batteries, LPG and engines. And in ‘Order Picking’ we cover the latest stories about pickers, pick to light and voice picking.
Renewed business confidence is catching. As reported on our front cover, Hörmann, the leading industrial door manufacturer and loading bay specialist, is anticipating a strong start to the year, following a record 2014, with a 10 plus percent turnover increase and employment figures at the firm’s Coalville HQ set to increase by 5.5 per cent in 2015.
As our article reveals, Hormann’s impressive growth is in part due to the success of online retailers, with warehouses going up across the country to meet the rising demand for home deliveries. As shoppers tend to turn to the web first these days, firms like Amazon, John Lewis and Argos have invested in new build distribution centres, requiring multiple, flexible loading bays. Consequently, Hörmann has seen a 64 per cent increase in turnover from large-scale industrial installations. These ‘big shed’ projects are expected to continue into 2015, especially in the food retail sector. Hörmann has worked with many major supermarkets over the last few years, including Asda, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, and anticipate further demand for new distribution houses in the coming months. Hörmann is also looking to the refurbishment market for additional opportunities, from property developers and contractors looking to upgrade their sites.
Finally, if you’re looking out for fresh ideas for your business this spring, make a date in your diary to visit IntraLogisteX2015, the new event in logistics and supply chain solutions, running from 25-26 March at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Warehouse & Logistics News is a media partner to the show, and we are publishing a preview supplement in the 15th March issue.
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