As the battle for warehouse space across the country continues, businesses in Slough, Cambridge and Huddersfield are the worst affected by a shortage of warehouse space in the UK, according to new research. With reports continuing to suggest that the UK is quickly running out of warehouse space, it’s leaving many business owners scratching their heads on how best to manage their stock and inventory, but some locations in the UK are struggling for space more than others.
Compiled by warehouse management software provider OrderWise, the research uses analysis of commercial property rental data from the UK’s 50 most populated towns and cities to find out which locations are struggling for warehouse space.
To establish the amount of available warehouse space by location, the research used data from Rightmove’s ‘commercial property to rent’ section to establish the total amount of warehouse space currently available (in square feet) and cross-referenced it against the number of registered businesses in each area.
With just 0.34 sq ft of warehouse space available for each of the 6,660 registered businesses in the area, it was Slough that had the least amount of space currently available to rent. Cambridge (1.41 sq ft) and Huddersfield (1.66 sq ft) followed closest behind.
At the other end of the spectrum, it was Blackpool that was the least affected location by the warehouse space shortage as it boasts 2,014,185 sq. ft of available warehouse space for the 3,900 registered businesses. Sheffield and Liverpool also make the top five list of locations with the most warehouse space available with 348.09 sq. ft and 252.08 sq. ft available per registered business respectively.
Commenting on the figures, Jon Roberts, WMS expert and Sales Director at OrderWise, said: “Warehouse operators are continuing to deal with economic pressures, the impacts of Brexit and global supply chain issues. A result of these challenges is a shortage of available warehouse space, and this data certainly puts in black and white this growing challenge that the industry has been battling against over the past couple of years.
“The commercial property market is a tough place right now, and the insights show the difficulties businesses face when trying to source more warehouse space. It leads to the question, do they really need it?
“With all of these factors at play, now is the time for warehouse operators to better utilise the space they already have, and curb the effects of this national shortage. Investing in warehouse management technology and automation can help organisations to optimise stock control, streamline returns and enhance pick rates – all improvements which help to maximise the use of space they currently have. By working smarter and unlocking these efficiencies, it is possible to find ways of achieving business aims without having to extend their warehouse footprint.”
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