Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced ambitious plans to open a cutting-edge, 60,000 sq ft store at the Copdock Interchange in Ipswich, subject to planning approval. This initiative reflects M&S’s commitment to bolstering its regional presence while continuing to serve customers at its established Westgate Street location. The proposed store
Betfred, one of the UK’s leading bookmakers, has officially re-opened its Head Office in Warrington after a multimillion-pound investment, underscoring a new era of innovation, employee collaboration and commitment to the region. The plaque was officially unveiled on Friday 22 November, by Betfred boss Fred Done, and the Speaker of
Prologis UK, a leading investor, owner and developer of logistics property, announces a new lease with Pro Tiler Tools, part of Topps Group, a leading supplier of high-quality tiles and tiling equipment, for DC2 at Prologis Park Pineham, in Northampton, bringing the park to full occupancy. Following a comprehensive refurbishment, the
AS part of the initiative “to get Britain building again”, the Labour government has just announced a £140 million investment to create 5,000 additional construction apprenticeships per year in England. The announcement lands at a critical moment for the built environment, as it continues to battle with a severe skills
A much-needed £11.9m ‘Extra Care’ development in Shropshire has been completed and handed over to The Wrekin Housing Group – eight months ahead of schedule. Keon Homes, which is working on similar schemes at William Farr House in Shrewsbury and Streethay in Lichfield, highlighted the unprecedented achievement at a special
BUILT environment professionals have led the calls for depoliticising the planning system during a roundtable hosted by SLR Consulting. The event, held in Birmingham, saw attendees from disciplines across the sector, discuss reforms to the planning system, and the need for clear process and policy to ensure that sustainable development
Catella APAM, a leading UK investment and asset management specialist and a subsidiary of the Catella Group, has launched its inaugural fund, Catella APAM Strategic Equities I (“the Fund”), to invest in UK listed property companies. The Fund has closed with £102.2 million in commitments from institutional investors, focused on
A comprehensively revised Code of Practice for the selection of building hardware for fire-resisting and escape door assemblies and doorsets has been published by The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) and the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF). This new edition, issue No. 5, is the first revision in more than
Leading national builders’ merchant Jewson has agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with Shetland Girls & Women’s Football Club, providing new kits for more than 140 players and donations to fund the Club’s place at the 2025 Orkney Island Games. As the first club in Shetland to achieve the Scottish Football
One of the key characteristics of business in the modern world is the rising transition towards new types of software. Supply chain managers are often at the forefront of this wave because they have to deal with logistics tasks that require a significant expenditure of the human workforce. For this
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced ambitious plans to open a cutting-edge, 60,000 sq ft store at the Copdock Interchange in Ipswich, subject to planning approval. This initiative reflects M&S’s commitment to bolstering its regional presence while continuing to serve customers at its established Westgate Street location. The proposed store will showcase the best of M&S, featuring a comprehensive range of food, clothing, and beauty products, as well as an 80-seater café. Beyond enhancing the shopping experience, the development is expected to create over 90 jobs, bringing significant economic benefits to the local community. With an anticipated opening in Summer 2027, the Copdock Interchange store is part of M&S’s broader investment strategy. Over the past three years, the retailer has allocated more than £60 million to developing and upgrading stores across the East of England, reaffirming its dedication to customer satisfaction and regional growth. This new store is set to elevate Ipswich’s retail landscape, offering a modern shopping destination and enriching the local economy. In addition to this exciting development, M&S is preparing to make its mark at the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) as a gold partner. This high-profile role will provide M&S with a prime platform to showcase its achievements and future plans. Engaging with an influential audience of over 16,000 developers, investors, local authorities, and decision-makers, M&S aims to solidify partnerships and drive further growth. Marks & Spencer’s continued investments reflect its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and strengthening its connections with communities across the UK. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Betfred, one of the UK’s leading bookmakers, has officially re-opened its Head Office in Warrington after a multimillion-pound investment, underscoring a new era of innovation, employee collaboration and commitment to the region. The plaque was officially unveiled on Friday 22 November, by Betfred boss Fred Done, and the Speaker of the House of Commons the Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Sir Lindsay Hoyle is also the President of the Rugby Football League. Betfred is the sport’s biggest supporter and the headline sponsor of the Betfred Super League and the Challenge Cup for the men’s, women’s, and wheelchair game. Betfred first moved into the Spectrum arena from their Salford base in 2004 and decided to embark on this hugely ambitious refurbishment project in September 2021. The revamped 50,000-square-foot Spectrum building now stands as a vibrant workspace for over 450 Betfred employees. This modern transformation marks a departure from its roots as a former arena that famously hosted concerts by the likes of Status Quo, New Order and Atomic Kitten, and also hosted major snooker tournaments. Fred Done remarked, “Reopening our Spectrum HQ is a very proud moment for me and my family. We’ve come a long way since having one shop in Salford in 1967 and I’m delighted that because of our close association with Rugby League that Sir Lindsay Hoyle has kindly agreed to officially open the building.” Betfred CEO Joanne Whitaker added, “The reopening of the Spectrum marks a fresh chapter for us. This redesign is more than just a new look—it’s about building an inspiring, collaborative environment that reflects our bold ambitions. We’ve created a dynamic space where ideas can flourish, and our teams can come together. We’re excited about the possibilities this new headquarters will open up and are looking forward to the journey ahead. Although we are an international company, it was very important to us we remained in the Northwest and close to our roots.” A highlight of the newly revamped headquarters is the state-of-the-art “Nifty 50” studio, the new home of Betfred’s own numbers game offering a top prize of £5 million, hosted live by two brand new presenters. Another standout feature of the refurbishment is the “Immersion Tunnel,” a stadium-inspired space that is bold, high-tech, and designed to connect employees across the building. Spanning the tunnel is a striking, larger-than-life display showcasing Betfred’s sporting heritage and milestone moments. The tunnel delivers a powerful experience, bringing Betfred’s legacy very much to life. This ambitious refurbishment was project managed internally by Betfred’s Head of Asset Management Peter Buckles and Betfred’s Senior Project Manager Helen Haworth. Peter Buckles added, “The key to the project was understanding Betfred’s business requirements and that helped guide the delivery including elements which are unique to a betting business. With the support of the IT team, we also kept the data centre for over 1400 shops and our website still running during this major refurbishment. We are all very proud of what we have delivered for our colleagues.” The construction side of the redevelopment was supported by Domis Construction and their Managing Director Kingsley Thornton said, “It was fantastic to work on such a unique project and completely modernise and redevelop the Spectrum Arena to make an exciting headquarters for Betfred.” The interior design was completed by Jackson Downes, with their founder previously working with top brands such as JD Sports, Muse Developments and Accor Hotels. Kate Jackson, founder and director of Jackson Downes, said, “Spectrum has always been a special building, so when tasked with redesigning this space for Betfred, we made it our mission to honour its rich history in the design. We’ve crafted a bespoke environment that not only meets Betfred’s unique needs but also motivates and supports the next generation of growth.” Satellite offices around the world will compliment Betfred’s central hub, including bases in Manchester’s city centre, Media City in Salford, Gibraltar, the United States and South Africa. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Prologis UK, a leading investor, owner and developer of logistics property, announces a new lease with Pro Tiler Tools, part of Topps Group, a leading supplier of high-quality tiles and tiling equipment, for DC2 at Prologis Park Pineham, in Northampton, bringing the park to full occupancy. Following a comprehensive refurbishment, the nationwide brand has signed a 15-year lease to use the unit as a base for future growth plans. The refurbishment was designed with sustainability and operational efficiency in mind, raising the 138,192 sq ft, distribution centre to an EPC A rating. The finished space features LED lighting, a fully-electric office, EV parking, rainwater harvesting whilst the roof is already futureproofed for solar PV. The high-specification building is equipped with 12 dock doors, two level access doors and a clear internal height of 12.5 metres, and is due to be fitted-out with racking through the Prologis Essentials platform. Ash Patel, Head of Property at Topps Tiles, said: “Finding the right partner and location was key when looking to expand our operations, and Prologis and their Pineham Park was just that. Being close to our existing operation for our staff, whilst also having the prime distribution location by J15A M1 perfectly meets our logistical and operational needs. The Essentials platform that Prologis offers has also been of real benefit. We look forward to becoming part of the community at Pineham and can’t wait to see our partnership with Prologis grow and develop even further.” Situated within the Midlands’ ‘Golden Triangle’ of logistics, Prologis Park Pineham will serve as a crucial part of Pro Tiler Tools’ supply chain operations through its strategic location near Junction 15A of the M1, offering easy access across the UK. The Park is also home to a number of other leading brands, including Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, BMW and Wincanton. The Park also offers dedicated areas of open space with walking trails of up to 3km where Park employees can enjoy breaks, along with art installations through Prologis UK’s PARKlife initiative. Tom Price, Leasing Director at Prologis UK, said: “For many years we have incorporated sustainability into the designs of all our units, ensuring refurbishments can easily elevate existing facilities to match the industry-leading standards of our brand new properties, and DC2 is a perfect example of this. We look forward to welcoming Pro Tiler Tools to Prologis Park Pineham and seeing the business go from strength to strength.” Cushman and Wakefield, BNP Paribas and Knight Frank acted for Prologis and Colliers acted for Pro Tiler Tools. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
AS part of the initiative “to get Britain building again”, the Labour government has just announced a £140 million investment to create 5,000 additional construction apprenticeships per year in England. The announcement lands at a critical moment for the built environment, as it continues to battle with a severe skills shortage. With plans to build 1.5 million homes and boost infrastructure over the next five years, an estimated 50,300 more workers are needed annually to meet the demand. Lee Parkinson, chief executive of EN:Able Futures, part of Efficiency North Holdings, operates a leading flexi-job apprenticeship service with more than a decade of experience in creating pathways for young people in construction. Lee shared his thoughts on the announcement. He said: “We welcome the Labour government’s ambitions and drive to advance the country’s housebuilding mission. At EN:Able Futures, we have been championing apprenticeships for more than ten years, and this new investment is a step forward in providing more young people with a foot on the career ladder. We know first-hand just how effective apprenticeships are for both the apprentice and employer and a skilled workforce will bring us back on track to meeting these wider ambitious targets. “However, central government must seek guidance from organisations with expertise in this field as they know how best to support the talent of tomorrow and ensure the government’s investment provides the missing link. Without the steer from those already working successfully in this area, we could see this worthwhile investment not delivered as effectively as possible and ultimately fall short of the expectations. “Flexi-job apprenticeships are a key part of the solution, especially for SMEs. These employers often serve as the backbone of the industry, and flexi-job models provide apprentices with access to high-quality training, valuable skills, and recognised qualifications, all while offering host businesses the ability to have an apprentice for only part of their training – safeguarding the business’ through turbulent times. By focusing on this approach, we can secure the future of both our workforce and the industry, maintaining the quality and integrity of apprenticeships in construction. “Overall, it’s fantastic to see the focus on apprenticeships as a tool to deliver much-needed housing nationwide. But, the government must look at how this is already being delivered successfully and consult with the experts, to ensure it’s as impactful as possible.” To find out more about EN:Able Futures, please visit: https://www.efficiencynorth.org/en-able-futures/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A much-needed £11.9m ‘Extra Care’ development in Shropshire has been completed and handed over to The Wrekin Housing Group – eight months ahead of schedule. Keon Homes, which is working on similar schemes at William Farr House in Shrewsbury and Streethay in Lichfield, highlighted the unprecedented achievement at a special open day for existing and future clients. The affordable homes and social housing specialist has taken just twenty months to build the 70-strong mix of one and two-bed apartments, with private gardens and a communal café. Ideally situated just a ten-minute walk into the market town of Newport, Queenswood will provide high quality living space and wraparound care and support for people over the age of 55. Speaking at the event Matt Beckley, Partnerships Director at Keon Homes, said: “Although we have a team that are experienced in terms of Extra Care, this is our first foray into the market as a company. And what a success it has been, with the site handed over to the highest standards and eight months early…that’s unheard of in this sector. “Queenswood has been a remarkable story from the very start, where we worked together with a master developer to unlock a complex parcel of land for this type of development. In turn, it meant the entire site could be built out.” He continued: “This approach is something we are rolling out to other open market housebuilders. Many don’t want to construct Extra Care schemes as they aren’t their ‘bread and butter’, but increasingly the big masterplans call for older people’s accommodation to be present. In essence, we can work with them to get an operational partner in line and solve a problem.” More than 50 people were present at the special open day, enjoying a guided tour of the landscaped gardens and the new apartments and communal spaces at the Queenswood scheme. They heard how Keon Homes has used a mix of traditional and modern construction methods in the build, including concrete floor plans manufactured offsite and 200mm think hollow core floor plans throughout the building, all topped with an acoustic Isorubber layer. This approach achieved the dual benefit of reducing build time by eight months and providing an EPC ’A’ energy rating through the communal areas. IP-based assistive technology has also been incorporated throughout the building, including warden call systems, fall alarms, wandering alarms and door access controls. Matt went on to add: “The strength of our relationship with The Wrekin Housing Group was paramount to the speed of completion, with both parties working in partnership to build the highest quality Extra Care space for the people of Newport. “We also wanted the development to have a real ‘local’ impact, with 50% of the entire project spend directed to suppliers within a 20-mile radius. “Other notable achievements, include 16 apprentices being employed on site throughout the duration of the build and 162 work placement hours completed, giving young people the opportunity to gain valuable experience of a possible career working in construction.” Simon Thompson, Director of Development at Wrekin Housing Group, said: “We’re delighted that works have been completed at Queenswood, our new extra care scheme delivered in partnership with Keon Homes. “We have made a firm commitment to deliver quality homes that people can be proud of and there is a clear demand for affordable housing for the over 55s in Newport and the wider Telford and Wrekin area. “This has been a great project to work on, from initial planning to handover, and I’d like to thank our partners at Keon Homes for their hard work in helping us to bring it to fruition. We’re now looking forward to welcoming our new tenants over the coming weeks.” Queenswood was recognised earlier this year in the NHBC Pride in the Job Awards, with Keon Homes’ Matt Wilkes named as the overall Regional Winner for the West in the Multi-Storey Builder category, following earlier securing the Quality and Seal of Excellence titles. For further information, please visit www.keonhomes.co.uk or follow the company across its social media channels. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
BUILT environment professionals have led the calls for depoliticising the planning system during a roundtable hosted by SLR Consulting. The event, held in Birmingham, saw attendees from disciplines across the sector, discuss reforms to the planning system, and the need for clear process and policy to ensure that sustainable development is at the forefront of every local authority. Attendees included representatives from the housebuilding, ecology, logistics and minerals sectors, as well as representation from the Home Builders Federation. This first in a planned series of quarterly discussions focused on the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolving planning landscape. Elle Cass, head of strategic built environment growth and instigator of the roundtable said: “With development now a top priority following recent governmental changes, we wanted to bring together leading industry voices for a discussion that covered topics such as land release, the classification of ‘grey belt’ sites, and how these differ from the protected greenbelt. “While the consensus is largely positive, there remains significant work to be done, particularly in understanding deliverability challenges related to Biodiversity Net Gain, nutrient neutrality, and addressing the skills shortage in the labour market.” Sam Stafford, planning director at the Home Builders Federation added: “1.5 million new homes within the parliamentary term is a bold and ambitious target, but the government is taking steps in not only reversing the 2023 NPPF changes, but making changes too to the standard method and the way greenbelt is looked at is bending national policy towards meeting it. “The challenge will be matching that ambition locally and then dealing with development management challenges such that the hoped for uptick in planning applications can be processed quickly and efficiently.” The landscape is challenging on many levels, however, the initial assessments that have to be carried out to assess a sites viability are still required. Environmental management, permitting and compliance technical director at SLR Consulting, Chris Berryman, added: “Sustainable development requires early engagement with planning considerations, such as securing permits, conducting thorough assessments, and incorporating long-term masterplanning strategies. “Specific attention must be given to issues such as suspected land contamination, the risk posed by mineral sites, and the achievement of sustainability objectives. Earlier engagement must take place between developers and local authorities to optimise the speed of getting planning applications through to committee.” Though more will be revealed in the upcoming National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which is due to be released before the end of the year, Tamsin Almeida, senior planning manager at Hayfield Homes said: “More needs to be done to promote and deliver amenity-rich environments which genuinely cater for people’s needs – this includes offering a mix of houses and tenure types, supporting infrastructure, biodiverse rich environments that stimulate people’s well-being, and placemaking that puts legacy at the centre of developments for future generations to enjoy.” Richard Hickman, senior planning director at Indurent, specialising in logistics, added; “While addressing the housing shortfall is essential under the newly elected government, we must remember the wider type of development that is needed to make local communities a success – this includes providing employment land, which in turn provides work opportunities – something that can easily be overlooked when headlines call for more housing, but not employment.” Elle Cass concluded: “We are being heard. More progress has been made now than in the past 14 years, however, these expected changes will need to see overhaul to the current structures and systems that have previously let people down, adding to a housing crisis and in turn not supporting development for all. Now is the time to remove politics from planning to get Britain building.” The roundtable was hosted by Tom Snee of Cartwright Communications, and was attended by Elle Cass, Jonathan Salter, Andrea Wilcockson, Chris Berryman, Mike Reeve, Daniel Watson, Tim Colles, Nick Billington (all SLR Consulting), alongside Samuel Stafford (Home Builders Federation), Ellie Liggins-Hughes (St. Modwen Homes), Tamsin Almeida (Hayfield Homes), Richard Hickman (Indurent), Simon Wingate (Lovell Partnerships), Kirsten Cunningham (Aggregate Industries UK), and Nigel Simkin (Highgate Land and Development). If you’re interested in finding out more about SLR consulting, its services or how you could be involved in the next roundtable, visit www.slrconsulting.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Catella APAM, a leading UK investment and asset management specialist and a subsidiary of the Catella Group, has launched its inaugural fund, Catella APAM Strategic Equities I (“the Fund”), to invest in UK listed property companies. The Fund has closed with £102.2 million in commitments from institutional investors, focused on identifying mispricing within the UK listed real estate sector. Simon Cooke, industry veteran and founding shareholder of Catella APAM, and Ben Kennedy, Head of Investment and Research at Catella APAM, will lead the Fund’s investment strategy, supported by Catella APAM’s senior asset and development management teams, which has advised on over £4.5 billion of assets within the UK and Ireland since its inception. Cooke and Kennedy designed the Fund’s strategy to target undervalued UK listed real estate companies, where underlying asset values have been impacted by recent macroeconomic challenges and shifting demand patterns. The Fund is the Group’s first fundamentals focused product investing in the listed markets following the launch of Catella Systematic Property Fund in 2022, a Swedish UCITS fund targeting Nordic listed property companies through a systematic investment approach. Kennedy commented: “The real estate sector has become more operationally intensive and complex, as asset owners begin to acknowledge their role in providing a service to customers rather than just passively holding assets. This is likely to create a more disparate distribution of returns as the gap between winners and losers widens. Our access to actionable, real-time asset data and hands-on expertise gives the Fund a predictive edge in assessing companies’ current and future value trajectory. Adopting a value investment approach in UK listed equities after a period of re-pricing should offer strong risk-adjusted returns to our investors.” Cooke, who has worked closely with equity fund managers throughout his career, particularly at Deutsche Asset Management throughout the 1990s, added: “I believe the listed sector is often undervalued compared to the wider market, as is the strategy, assets, and management teams, particularly following economic downturns. The sector currently trades at a significant discount to NAV, dragged down by recency bias and consolidated by the backward-looking valuation process. This has been a long journey, and I’m proud that we are now launched and mandated to unlock this embedded value.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A comprehensively revised Code of Practice for the selection of building hardware for fire-resisting and escape door assemblies and doorsets has been published by The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) and the Door & Hardware Federation (DHF). This new edition, issue No. 5, is the first revision in more than a decade, and represents a significant update and consolidation of previous guidelines to reflect the very latest legislative requirements and best practices in the industry. It provides an essential reference and resource for a broad spectrum of construction industry professionals including architects, building control officers, fire officers, responsible persons, duty holders, manufacturers, specifiers, and suppliers of building hardware and fire doors. GAI technical manager Douglas Masterson said: “The primary goal of this Code of Practice is to ensure that key stakeholders throughout the construction industry have access to the most current and comprehensive advice on selecting hardware that meets the stringent requirements for fire safety and escape routes. “While the Code is advisory, it is designed to provide robust guidance that aligns with the latest legal standards. “While compliance with the Code does not confer immunity from legal, local authority or insurance requirements, it will significantly enhance the safety and reliability of fire-resisting and escape door assemblies.” The Code addresses a wide range of legislative requirements, including: • Construction Products Regulations in both the EU and UK. • Building Regulations throughout the UK and Ireland, including the Building Regulations 2010 (England & Wales), Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012, and Building Regulations 1997-2021 (Ireland). • Workplace Fire Safety Legislation across the UK and Ireland, such as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. • Equality Legislation applicable in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Additionally, the Code considers third-party certification schemes and declarations of conformity with relevant standards, ensuring that the guidance provided is both comprehensive and up to date. The Code applies to building hardware used on timber fire doors with up to two hours of fire resistance and steel fire doors with up to four hours of fire resistance. The hardware items covered are categorised into essential items necessary for the successful operation of the doors (such as pivots and hinges, door closing devices, latch or locks, intumescent and smoke seals, and panic bolts), and optional (non-essential) items that could potentially cause door failure if not properly selected or installed. As a part of this revision there are several new sections relating to electric locking and access control, which are of increasing importance in the world of building hardware. Issue 5 of the Code replaces the previous issue 4, as well as all previous codes of practice published by both the Association of Building Hardware Manufacturers (now DHF) and the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers, all of which have been withdrawn to ensure that professionals are working with the most current and relevant information. DHF general manager Michael Skelding said: “This revision is the result of more than two years work by the teams at the DHF and GAI in conjunction with technical specialists at the leading companies in our industry. “The result should be seen as an essential reference document for anyone involved in the selection, installation and testing of building hardware and furniture for fire and escape doors.” Code of Practice: Hardware for Fire and Escape Doors edition 5 can be downloaded for free at www.firecode.org.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading national builders’ merchant Jewson has agreed a three-year sponsorship deal with Shetland Girls & Women’s Football Club, providing new kits for more than 140 players and donations to fund the Club’s place at the 2025 Orkney Island Games. As the first club in Shetland to achieve the Scottish Football Association Quality Mark Bronze Award this year, Shetland Girls & Women’s FC has teams ranging from under nine years old up to the adult team, which recently secured a spot at the 2025 Orkney Island Games. Jewson’s sponsorship deal will help towards the cost of attending the Games, as well as ongoing running costs and a new kit for all players. Wayne Uren, Branch Manager at Jewson Lerwick, says: “As an active member of the Shetland community, we are always looking for new ways to give something back, ranging from product donations to lending our time and expertise to construction projects in the region. “We’ve been following the journey of Shetland Girls & Women’s FC for some time and we are all incredibly proud of their recent achievements, so it felt like the right time to step up our support and agree the sponsorship deal that will provide vital funds to the club over the next three years.” Kay Anderson, Club Chairperson at Shetland Girls & Women’s FC, said: “We are very grateful to Jewson Lerwick for their generous sponsorship deal, which will enable us to continue reaching our ambitious goals for the club and look ahead to the 2025 Orkney Island Games. “The club was formed in 2017 with just a handful of players and we now have more than 140 girls and women playing with us, as well as almost 50 volunteers. We recently appointed a new management team and feel confident that – with the support of our sponsors – we have a bright future ahead.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
One of the key characteristics of business in the modern world is the rising transition towards new types of software. Supply chain managers are often at the forefront of this wave because they have to deal with logistics tasks that require a significant expenditure of the human workforce. For this reason, it’s unsurprising that more and more companies in the sector are turning towards supply chain software to optimize the relevant processes and make them as simple as possible. What’s the primary goal of this article? We want to list the key features that every modern supply chain software should have. As you’ll see from this analysis, our list strongly favors custom development services. Why should one invest in a supply chain software development service? The reason is quite simple: it allows one to focus on the maximal number of genuinely relevant features for their business. So, what features are relevant in your app, and what should you inform your custom development partner about when developing an app for supply chain management? Let’s find out! Feature 1. Inventory management capabilities The first feature we recommend paying attention to is inventory management. In this case, inventory management’s primary goal is to help you track as many instruments in your business as possible. Supply chain businesses typically have to work with many diverging instruments and other vital tools. In this light, it’s easy to lose those instruments due to the expansive nature of the facilities, for example. Inventory management apps solve this problem once and for all for the relevant decision-makers. Using an inventory management app, you can track almost every object in your business with a clear set of designations. In this regard, connecting an inventory management app to various sensors and all types of RFID systems is possible. In this way, you can get information about the location of almost every asset in your company. More importantly, inventory management is usable for instruments in your business and great for tracking wares in general. You can assign every product with a clear designation within an inventory management system. This way, you’ll know all the core locations for your objects. More importantly, they allow one to understand the inventory levels to prevent situations where you don’t have enough resources, for example. Feature 2. Order management system One more framework vital for supply chain businesses is undoubtedly order management. What is order management software? As its name suggests, it’s a framework that allows you to track orders in a company. Supply chains are usually order-based in two contexts. On the one hand, they’re centered around orders because every request in the system can be seen as an order. For example, the requirement to bring some instruments is a type of order in this case. On the other hand, one should note that orders also mean the requests of different kinds of customers. Typically, all these requests represent a tremendous amount of information within a business. Consequently, it’s essential to have a tool that can help you comfortably deal with the orders. For example, there should be filtering options and even user profiles to separate your business’s different lines of work. In short, the idea is to offer as many capabilities as possible for analyzing information and optimizing the data transmission routes. The faster and more manageable one can analyze information, the higher the quality of the customer experience in the presented case. Feature 3. Supplier and vendor management Most companies in the supply chain market have to work with a tremendous number of potential customers. In this regard, tracking all those customers is a complex task that takes time. More importantly, not tracking isn’t an option in most cases. Why? The reason is simple: vendors and suppliers often play a significant part in deciding whether your business will succeed. Modern supply chain management tools allow tracking every vendor and supplier within your internal systems. In this way, you minimize the potential of losing particular vendors and, consequently, encountering long-term negative impacts from this loss. How do these systems work? They can track vendors manually and automatically in the majority of cases. Firstly, monitoring vendors manually by putting them into the electronic systems is possible. Secondly, however, you can also focus on automatically inserting the vendors into the systems. Modern AI can track your transactions and later turn those transactions into full-scale records within your tracking systems. In this way, minimizing the labor you spend to track potential customers is possible. Feature 4. Analytics and Reporting One more feature you should pay attention to is analytics and reporting. A good supply chain management tool must quickly analyze information and turn it into high-quality insights. In this respect, the most promising technology today involves artificial intelligence reporting. It’s possible to use AI to, for instance, analyze the scope of your transactions and turn them into full-scale insights for analytics. Using them, one can later optimize their business towards higher-quality processes, for example. Conclusion The list of features we’ve outlined in this case isn’t exhaustive. There are many more frameworks that you can add to the presented case. Nonetheless, the elements here are essential to create a full-scale inventory management system. We’ve also mentioned that the best way to develop those systems is to address companies that target custom development of all kinds. In this case, our recommendation is to look for companies like Keenethics. Your goal is to find a company with more than five years of experience and relevant agricultural projects within the portfolio.
