At Whittan we turn empty space into working space. We have been expanding capabilities and maximising opportunities with storage for over 70 years. Home to Britain’s most trusted brands: Link51, Apex, HiStore, Polypal UK, Probe, LinkLockers, and Linbins, we have storage products and solutions for any industry, environment or requirement.
Stewart Adams, Pallet Racking Systems Sales Director at The Whittan Group speaks to Warehouse & Logistics News.
What are your best-known products/solutions/services?
To put it simply, Whittan is one of the leading manufacturers of a wide range of pallet racking, steel shelving and lockers in the UK. Our reach is quite incredible, serving customers across a wide variety of markets and sectors. However, we’re more than just the products we supply, we can offer consultation and design services and complete turnkey storage solutions.
With six trusted brands at our disposal, including Link51, Apex, Polypal UK, HiStore, Probe and LinkLockers, we work across our group to provide added value to our customers. With the combined industry specialised knowledge and experience of these brands, we deliver bespoke solutions that work hard for your business – there probably aren’t many businesses out there that don’t hold a product made by a Whittan brand name!
Which industry sectors are your customers in and which ones are growing fastest?
The warehousing and logistics sector is very prominent for us, however, we have storage solutions suitable for a broad range of sectors. These include retail, healthcare, food and drink, public sector, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, museums, offices, archives and marine and defence, with adaptable products appropriate for stores and offices to warehouses and fulfilment centres.
What are your most recent product innovations?
We innovate daily. Turning empty space into working space, we are constantly expanding capabilities. But in terms of products, 2024 is set to be an exciting year with some new solutions coming to market, including ASRS rack clad solutions, our new light-duty modular shelving range; Longspan Lite and developments in robot floors.
What are the major trends and developments affecting your category and your customers, and how are you responding?
Today’s warehouses aren’t just storage spaces; they’re multifunctional hubs.
This is why storage solutions need to offer greater flexibility, adapting to meet the ever-evolving demands of a business. Whether it’s setting up distinct processing and returns zones or solutions suitable and scalable to work in a dark mega-shed warehouse to smaller units for last-mile delivery, we can combine our 70 years’ worth of experience working with storage solutions and our knowledge of the latest systems to deliver an ideal solution that accommodates different operations and needs.
Significant events such as the pandemic and Brexit have accelerated the drive towards automation, robotics, and AI. These technologies are revolutionising warehouse operations but integrating them seamlessly requires careful planning. Diving into this tech-driven era requires specialist knowledge of the market, ensuring aspects such as structural needs and employee safety are considered during planning stages, which again, is where our decades of experience in providing turnkey solutions come into play to deliver a warehouse that is far more streamlined and efficient.
Can you tell us about any recent customer contracts and how you helped the customer meet their challenges?
We were approached recently to help develop and supply a new concept in automated vertical farming. The ASRS was conceptually different from standard crane systems; the growing lanes of nearly 40m that fed the crane, needed to be dynamic and controlled in the way they accepted, guided and discharged the product. Working closely with the client and other key suppliers, we were able to develop and build the world’s largest vertical farm. Once again demonstrating our desire to develop new products in emerging industries, utilising the latest technology.
How does business in 2023/24 compare to previous years? What’s your strategy for succeeding in the current climate?
We have seen a move from mega-sheds to large and midsize units and witnessed a significant and growing uptake of automated solutions. While e-commerce has slowed, it continues to grow and there has been a return to the high street, with increasing demand from retailers. Financial constraints have meant that re-purposing existing stock and utilising existing space in the form of pick towers and mezzanine floors to improve efficiency has been a growing trend. Flexibility and ensuring product and solution developments not only match but exceed the latest market demands are key to ongoing success and growth.
Can you tell us about any areas where you’re currently making technical advances e.g., safety, sustainability, environment?
In the last 18 months, we’ve invested significantly in our UK facilities to increase efficiency and safety. Our pallet racking factory in Milton Keynes now boasts robotic welders, an upgraded paint plant, optimised layout and advanced warehouse management systems. This investment has given us greater capacity to better serve the needs of our customers more effectively. It also means lead times are shorter and our carbon footprint and that of our customers is lower, as everything is manufactured here in the UK. Within the next 12 months, we will also be installing a new multi-million pound strut and beam rolling mills at our manufacturing plant in Milton Keynes to drive efficiency and give us the capability to match the market’s most demanding applications.
Are you taking part in any major trade shows? Can you tell us what you’ll be exhibiting there?
This year, we will be attending the Health and Safety Event, showcasing our latest pallet racking, locker and shelving solutions. Attendees will get the chance to see some of our brand new products in person, including our new Longspan Lite shelving range and smart locker solutions through our LinkLocker and eLocker partnership.
The Whittan Group
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