chaz3Welcome to the 1 April issue of Warehouse & Logistics News. As we go into the Easter break, Britain is embarking on the big getaway but there’s no let up for the warehousing and logistics industry, and the supply chains they serve.

As the UK population goes all out to enjoy themselves for the first long weekend since Christmas, as always they expect everything to be there in the shops to help them have a good time. Fair enough. That’s what the supply chain does. That said, hopefully everyone reading this column in print, digital or online will get a chance to relax and recharge your batteries at some point over the long Easter weekend.

Business life goes on all year round, and in this issue we’ve got all our regular news sections. We also have special features on Doors & Curtains, including industrial doors, curtains and roller-shutters, and Racking & Shelving, looking at Pallet racking, cantilever racking, shelving and storage solutions.

We’ve now reached the end of the first quarter of this year. As you take time off to unwind, how was it for you?! According to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), the UK economy grew weakly in December-February, up 0.3% versus September-November. This comes despite the impact of January’s snow, and ties in with what we’ve been hearing anecdotally about slow recovery.

As we went to press the 2010 election was looking likely to be held on 6 May. So from now on the cynics among us will be scrutinising every official announcement for signs of positive spin, as Brown & Co do their best to convince us that they aren’t doing that bad a job and we should let them stay in at the wicket, even though it’s been a pretty sticky one. And for people in business the announcements that matter are those which concern the economy. According to their web site the National Institute of Economic and Social Research are an apolitical research body, so if you’re being sceptical, that means we should listen to them more than government pronouncements.

The NIESR doesn’t expect UK economic output to return to the peak seen at the start of 2008 until 2012. The economy will need to be going flat out by then to avoid red faces all round if the London Olympics go off half cock.

The Olympics promise good business for the whole UK, radiating out from London – something for all of us to look forward to.

Happy reading.

Warehouse & Logistics News

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