While you may not think it, courier companies actually provide an invaluable service to construction firms and the industry as a whole. This rule even applies before work has started on a particular site, as companies are often required to submit time-sensitive tenders to win work and often use professional
A new report from the NHBC Foundation today highlights how trailblazing developers are exploring the use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The new report, ‘Modern methods of construction: who’s doing what?’, found that developers at the forefront were investing significantly in MMC and that a majority had plans to
Property company Network Space has completed phase two of an industrial development that is taking shape in Merseyside. The first phase of the Mere Grange development in St Helens was completed in July 2018 and comprised 90,500 sq ft split across four individual buildings, ranging in size from 18,500 sq
When your e-commerce business makes a sale, the last thing you want is to have to deal with a return. You’ll lose the sale and incur additional costs. To accommodate a return, the product must reverses its way through your supply chain. All activity associated with accepting the return of
Bury, Lancashire-based steel fabrication specialists, Wm. Hare Group has taken delivery of its first-ever Volvo truck – a brand-new FM-460 6×2 tractor unit with Globetrotter cab – which will be used for inter-depot and site deliveries across a large part of the UK. Paul McNicholas, Customer Solutions Manager at Thomas
A 190,000 sq ft former engineering works on a 10 acre site adjacent to the East Gate at Port of Newport has been purchased by ABP South Wales. The sale of the site, known locally as the Neptune Works, is believed to be the largest industrial property sale in South
Garbe Industrial Real Estate GmbH, together with the Aachen-based logistics company Hammer GmbH & Co. KG and numerous guests from politics and business celebrated the roofing ceremony for the new logistics centre in Eschweiler, Germany. The new facility, which is being built on a 186,000-square-metre site in the intermunicipal business
No matter where you are in the world, one of the most important parts of economic systems is competition. It pushes the industry forward, stimulating companies to improve their services in order to get ahead of others. It also opens a healthy way of income distribution. These days, the main
Kier Construction will be continuing to grow its industrial portfolio with the latest appointment to deliver a £39 million regional distribution hub facility in Wixams, Bedford, for developers UK Land and Property. The facility will be occupied by B&M Retail Ltd and will serve as its Southern Distribution Centre. The
Howdens Joinery, the leading kitchen manufacturer and supplier, has agreed terms to let 10,004 sq ft at Unit 8, Arrow Park, Brackley from Rockspring Property Investment Managers LLP (“Rockspring”), a PATRIZIA company, at £7 per sq ft on a 15-year lease with a tenant break on the tenth anniversary. Arrow
While you may not think it, courier companies actually provide an invaluable service to construction firms and the industry as a whole. This rule even applies before work has started on a particular site, as companies are often required to submit time-sensitive tenders to win work and often use professional couriers for this purpose. Once work has commenced, couriers provide an even more invaluable service to construction firms, particularly those that are undertaking large scale projects. Here are some of the main benefits of partnering with a professional courier: Prevent Workflow Disruptions One of the biggest benefits of using a professional (and reputable) courier is that they can play a pivotal role in preventing workflow disruptions. This works in two potential ways. Firstly, it ensures that you do not have to pull an employee from one project to deliver a package to an alternative site, enabling you to optimise each individual’s productivity and overall contribution. At the same time, you can also arrange for crucial items and components to be delivered on-time and directly to the project site. This is particularly important when managing time-sensitive projects, which can easily be disrupted by delivery delays. Access a Truck Delivery Service When you hear the term ‘courier service’, your thoughts are probably drawn to small transit vans and relatively minimal hauls. However, professional services often lay on large trucks and vans too, which are capable of transporting both a high volume of items and big pieces of equipment. This is extremely important, as it negates the need to reassign employees to load and unload items when travelling between different destinations. Similarly, this also allows you to have pieces of machinery delivered on-time and anywhere in the UK, whether this is required from the start of the project or to replace a broken item. Create Additional Storage Space for Supplies One of the main issues associated with building sites is that they often become cluttered, and this can create significant issues in terms of health and safety and the integrity of expensive pieces of equipment. Professional couriers may be able to help with this, however, as they often retain additional space that can be utilised by clients for the purpose of storing supplies. This serves as a kind of logistics warehouse, which stores and organises your supplies until such a time that you need them. You should also be able to secure a competitive price and deal from your courier, especially if you have an existing relationship or have completed a lot of business with them. Another benefit of this is that it minimises the risk of materials being stolen overnight from your construction site, delivering long-term cost savings that will help the project to maintain its profitability.
A new report from the NHBC Foundation today highlights how trailblazing developers are exploring the use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The new report, ‘Modern methods of construction: who’s doing what?’, found that developers at the forefront were investing significantly in MMC and that a majority had plans to expand the number of homes they build using such methods. Among the house builders, housing associations and developer/manufacturers included, the report details high levels of adoption of different, advanced forms of MMC such as volumetric modules and panelised systems. Better quality, improved efficiency, accelerated delivery and increased productivity are cited by these developers as key factors driving their uptake of MMC. The report, which was produced on behalf of the NHBC Foundation by Cast, which is led by Mark Farmer, author of the Farmer Review, features a range of case studies, demonstrating a diversity of approaches to the adoption of MMC, as well as a wider survey which showed that 30% of those studied were already investing in their own manufacturing facility and a further 9% had plans to do so. In addition, and as a further indication of confidence, 62% were committing funds to research and development to enhance technologies further. Commenting on the new report, Neil Smith, NHBC Head of Standards, Innovation and Research, said: “The study explores the current levels of interest in MMC from a range of developers of different sizes and types and provides a useful benchmark to gauge future trends and patterns in the uptake of innovative forms of construction. “Overall, the findings demonstrate a clear commitment by developers to delivering high-quality new homes through the adoption of MMC. As this confidence in MMC grows and more technologies become proven, we will begin to realise the full potential for MMC to build more, and higher-quality, homes.” Mark Farmer, chief executive of Cast, added: “We’re delighted to see NHBC Foundation taking a lead here in raising industry awareness of industry’s gradual move towards embracing MMC. This report highlights how pre-manufacturing has the potential to drive not just productivity and profit – but quality and efficiency. “What is also clear is that developers are approaching the use of MMC in different ways. We expect that pre-manufacturing will continue be used in a variety of combinations and using different materials and systems.” For further information please visit http://www.nhbcfoundation.org
Property company Network Space has completed phase two of an industrial development that is taking shape in Merseyside. The first phase of the Mere Grange development in St Helens was completed in July 2018 and comprised 90,500 sq ft split across four individual buildings, ranging in size from 18,500 sq ft to 26,350 sq ft. Each unit is self-contained, built to a high specification and designed to appeal to the needs of a wide range of logistics and industrial users. Phase 2 comprises a 51,400 sq ft unit which is currently under construction and has been pre-let to a specialist commercial laundry firm, Synergy LMS, on a 25-year lease. Caddick Construction are the contractors responsible for the build and completion is anticipated next month. Network Space has also recently secured planning for a 20,000 sq ft unit on the final phase which has been pre-let to an electrical distribution business. Construction of the unit is due to commence on site next month with completion before the end of the year. Stephen Barnes, Managing Director (Development) at Network Space, said: “We are delighted with progress at Mere Grange as we near completion of Phase 2 and shortly look to commence Phase 3. “In attracting the calibre of occupiers we have, Mere Grange has beaten off strong competition from other sites in the region. This is not only testament to the quality of accommodation we are delivering at the site but also the quality of the location and our proactive approach in responding to occupiers needs. “I’d like to thank the professional team for their hard work, together with our partners St Helens MBC and Homes England who have been actively involved in supporting the project. We look forward to successfully completing the final phase later this year.” Mere Grange is being developed in association with Homes England, St Helens Council and Liverpool City Region Combined Regional Authority. Cllr Derek Long, Leader of St Helens Council, added: “The development at Mere Grange is precisely the type of new employment space we require in St Helens in that it can support multiple different sectors. The Borough has a tradition in pharmaceuticals, and health and medical technology businesses.”
When your e-commerce business makes a sale, the last thing you want is to have to deal with a return. You’ll lose the sale and incur additional costs. To accommodate a return, the product must reverses its way through your supply chain. All activity associated with accepting the return of a product is known as reverse logistics. The assoicated costs are always higher than just the price of shipping. According to Supply Chain Dive, reverse logistics cost companies upwards of $260 billion annually. Here are five hidden costs in the reverse logistics process many e-tailers overlook. Labor Costs in Return Process Labor is one of the most commonly overlooked because it’s felt indirectly. When a product comes back, employees need to receive, inspect and possibly restock the item—depending upon its condition. This usually involves multiple workers across various departments. Time that could be spent growing the business is consumed handling returned product. Reselling Returned Products at a Discounted Price Product condition can play a huge factor in determining price. In some cases you’ll have to resell at a discount or discard it all together. On top of losing the profit from the original sale and incurring the cost of labor to get the product back into your inventory, selling the product for a discount or discarding it all together adds even more salt into the wound. Returned Product Can Lead to Inventory Mismanagement Product returns can throw a monkeywrench into your inventory tracking process. Resources are redirected toward returned product, which takes away from the inventory control operating procedures. E-retailers have the option to outsource their inventory management to a third-party logistics company (3PL), but others who chose to handle inventory in-house could benefit from a cloud e-commerce platform. Cloud-based platforms can help with inventory management because of their speed, security and scalability. Offering Free Return Shipping A growing trend in return processes for e-commerce companies is free return shipping. This usually has a positive impact on how the customers perceive an organization because it shows them that the company is taking care of the extra expense instead of putting it on the customer. Around 49 percent of online retailers offer the service While this goes a long way toward engendering customer satisfaction, it’s detrimental to the bottom line. On average, about 30 percent of e-commerce orders are returned, so these costs add up very quickly. Customer Frustration Can Lead to Higher Customer Churn While positive return experience can drive loyalty, a bad one is likely to lead a customer to shop your competitors. Per the Narvar Consumer Report, customers who return product are likely to be the best customers. Eighty-two percent of customers who previously returned products were repeat shoppers, and 95 percent of customers satisfied with the returns process said they’d purchase from the retailer again. A key report takeaway — high value customers are also the most likely to utilize the returns process. E-retailers need to implement or update their reverse logistics strategy in order to become as efficient with their returned product as possible. E-commerce companies who do not pay attention to this process could be losing upwards of 10-20 percent of their profits, and possibly, a devoted chunk of their customer base. Running an e-commerce store demands attention from every angle, but by focusing on these five hidden costs in the reverse logistics process you’ll recover more of your margins and better satisfy the needs of your customers.
Bury, Lancashire-based steel fabrication specialists, Wm. Hare Group has taken delivery of its first-ever Volvo truck – a brand-new FM-460 6×2 tractor unit with Globetrotter cab – which will be used for inter-depot and site deliveries across a large part of the UK. Paul McNicholas, Customer Solutions Manager at Thomas Hardie Commercials Ltd, supplied Wm. Hare Group’s inaugural Volvo prime mover, which features a 3,900mm wheelbase and a 7.5 tonne fixed pusher axle. Powered by Volvo’s D13K 13-litre engine rated at 460hp, the truck also features Volvo’s award-winning, I-Shift automated transmission system, with Long Haul gear changing software. Rear air suspension, a Jost JSK37 cast iron fixed fifth wheel and a drive axle with a ratio of 2.64:1 completes the business end. The FM also comes with the top option, Volvo Gold Service contract for 36 months, which delivers carefree operation and complete peace of mind to operators, like Wm. Hare Group, wishing to focus solely on their own core business and customers. “Before purchasing a new truck, we asked some of our sub-contractors for feedback on truck makes and performance standards,” notes Amie Smith, Transport and Logistics Manager at Wm. Hare Group. “Volvo came back as the top choice for reliability and durability, so we were happy to proceed with the order for an FM-460 with Thomas Hardie Commercials.” Amie adds. “We needed a workhorse to haul steel and fabrications between our network of depots across England. The Volvo FM has been in service since early July and it works mostly night shifts. I’m happy with its performance and so far its fuel returns across the M62 Motorway are impressive and a real improvement on our other two trucks.” Wm. Hare Group’s new Volvo is also proving popular with its driver. “He really loves the FM Globetrotter Cab’s comfort levels and it has proved an easy truck to work with. We’ll definitely consider Volvo again for future fleet purchases,” Amie concludes.
A 190,000 sq ft former engineering works on a 10 acre site adjacent to the East Gate at Port of Newport has been purchased by ABP South Wales. The sale of the site, known locally as the Neptune Works, is believed to be the largest industrial property sale in South Wales so far this year. By purchasing the Neptune Works, the port owner and operator will be able to expand its offering to customers interested in port-centric manufacturing. It will also serve to increase storage capacity for current customers who export and import via the Port of Newport. “The Neptune Works lies adjacent to the northernmost part of the port and its acquisition makes perfect sense – either to enhance access to the port, enable us to expand by adding good quality storage accommodation or by letting it to a third party,” said Rhys Morgan, Head of Property, ABP South Wales. “For instance, its size, height of access, cranes and yard space make it potentially attractive to accommodate plant and engineering works for some of the major infrastructure projects under way in South Wales and across the South West, such as Hinkley Point C,” Rhys continued. ABP has invested significantly in Newport over the past few years, in schemes including new warehousing facilities, open storage areas, and additional rail sidings. The Neptune Engineering Works was established early in the 20th century and soon after became Braithwaite & Co., Neptune Works. The works specialised in structural steelwork and continued to do so as part of the Rowecord Group. It was more recently used by AIC Steel. ABP South Wales’ five ports of, Newport, Cardiff, Barry, Port Talbot and Swansea contribute £1.5 billion to the UK economy every year and support 21,800 jobs across the nation, as well as handling over 12.5 million tonnes of cargo every year.
Garbe Industrial Real Estate GmbH, together with the Aachen-based logistics company Hammer GmbH & Co. KG and numerous guests from politics and business celebrated the roofing ceremony for the new logistics centre in Eschweiler, Germany. The new facility, which is being built on a 186,000-square-metre site in the intermunicipal business park of Inden/Weisweiler “Am Grachtweg,” is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. The facility will be home to a logistics property almost 94,000 square metres in size, which will provide 105,000 square metres of floor space, including an additional mezzanine, offices, and social rooms. A total of around 60 million euros have been invested in the project and it will be occupied by Hammer. “As a multi-user location, the logistics centre Eschweiler is unique in the region and an important building block for further growth for us,” said managing director Wolfgang “Tim” Hammer. Moreover, in order to succeed in integrating new businesses, Hammer is also investing in the technical equipment of the logistics centre, in which an automated small parts storage system will speed up the flow of goods. Among the long-standing customers for whom Hammer performs comprehensive storage and logistics services in Eschweiler is QCG Computer GmbH, a company that assembles and tests complete systems for large data centre operators. “In close coordination with all those involved in the logistics centre, we have integrated a 10,000-square-metre production hall for QCG for server assembly,” explained Christopher Garbe. The 217-metre-wide and 385-metre-long logistics property with 80 gates will be equipped for trouble-free loading and unloading of trucks. The design of the exterior area includes 25 parking spaces for trucks and 200 for cars. An additional advantage is the central location in the Rhineland with excellent connections to transport infrastructure. The location in the intermunicipal business park offers direct access to the A 4; distance to the A 44 motorway is only 12 kilometres, and the economic regions of Aachen and Cologne are also only 24 and 40 kilometres away, respectively. “In addition, the close proximity allows for a close exchange with Aachen University, good cooperation with local partners, and last but not least, the opportunity to meet the latest ecological standards with the new building,” said Hammer’s managing director, emphasizing these further advantages.
No matter where you are in the world, one of the most important parts of economic systems is competition. It pushes the industry forward, stimulating companies to improve their services in order to get ahead of others. It also opens a healthy way of income distribution. These days, the main way to obtain a competitive advantage is to embed a new innovative technology into the production. Here the logistics industry is no different from any other. Nowadays, you will not get ahead of your competitors just by finding better ways or buying faster cars. To gain an advantage, you need to apply more innovative approaches. A survey shows that most game-changing technologies are new and less common. But which competitive advantages exactly do these innovations give you? Technologies that are expected to be game-changing for the logistics industry. Source Reliable Security Security has always been a pressing issue for the logistics industry. Now people are interested in increasing surveillance by physical means as well as by means of embedding advanced technology. Blockchain, one of the most common information technology branches right now, is said to be a major instrument to be practiced in both physical and cyber security. Reduced Delivery Time Company automation allows minimizing the presence of employees at different stages of the delivery process. The possibility of a human mistake is minimized as well. Thus, the involvement of these technologies decreases the time needed to process and deliver each separate order and increases the accuracy of orders. Enhanced Customer Experience The customer experience is about placing an order and waiting for its completion. By using the Internet of Things (IoT), companies are able to supply more accurate tracking information. This means that clients can be follow the location of their parcel anytime. It also gives them the possibility to plan their day according to the more precise delivery information. Transparent Process Automated process means that the information about it can be digitized. This enables the company to know about everything that is going on with the user’s order. It opens the door towards a more understanding and trusting relationship between company and customer -. exactly the kind of relationship that has a good chance to grow into a long-lasting one. Cheaper Order Cost Considering everything mentioned above, it seems like technology can increase the number of orders due to the improvement in their handling. But what about the price of each order? Well, the more effective overall processes and the minimization of errors leads to a decrease in the average order handling cost, which means more financial gain for you. Conclusion Using advanced technologies is a perfect way of growing for any business. Nevertheless, the task can turn out to be not quite so simple unless you’re an expert in the IT branch. But with the help of professionals like Artelogic you can be sure that the process of custom logistics software development and embedding will run smoothly.
Kier Construction will be continuing to grow its industrial portfolio with the latest appointment to deliver a £39 million regional distribution hub facility in Wixams, Bedford, for developers UK Land and Property. The facility will be occupied by B&M Retail Ltd and will serve as its Southern Distribution Centre. The equivalent to 12 premier league football pitches, the 21.5 m high, 1 million sq ft warehouse will help meet market demand. The Distribution Centre consists of warehousing and distribution facilities including temperature controlled zones to accommodate chilled and frozen goods, offices, recycling and ancillary areas. There will also be other provisions, including a refuelling area, a maintenance area for vehicles and a gatehouse, surrounding the main building. “First class warehouse space is in real demand and working with UK Land and Property LLP, we are looking forward to delivering this space in a perfectly situated location for deliveries across the country. As the UK is the eighth largest manufacturer in the world, we are proud to be supporting UK businesses and their growth and also help secure thousands of job opportunities in the area,” said Mark Pausey, managing director of Kier Construction Central. “It is an exciting award for Kier and not only is the size of the warehouse going to be impressive, but it also includes 200,000m3 of earthworks and will see us use 4,500 tonnes of steel throughout the build. The finished distribution hub will create around a thousand new jobs and we’ll also be supporting employment growth in the local area throughout the build,” he continued. The news on the Distribution Centre follows on the announcement that Kier will be building a major extension to the Telford-based Müller factory. The £10 million project will see Kier double the size of the existing site and enable Müller to significantly increase its yoghurt production.
Howdens Joinery, the leading kitchen manufacturer and supplier, has agreed terms to let 10,004 sq ft at Unit 8, Arrow Park, Brackley from Rockspring Property Investment Managers LLP (“Rockspring”), a PATRIZIA company, at £7 per sq ft on a 15-year lease with a tenant break on the tenth anniversary. Arrow Park is a new 140,000 sq ft warehouse / industrial development which comprises of eight units that were constructed in January 2018. The development benefits from a prominent position fronting the A43 dual carriageway with fast access to the motorway network, particularly junctions 10 and 11 of the M40 and junction 15A of the M1. “The strong interest we have witnessed at Arrow Park is a testament to the high quality speculative build Rockspring has delivered and further demonstrates the demand we have in the market for good quality stock in strategic locations. Howdens will be able to service its customers effectively and efficiently from its new position at Arrow Park and their arrival will also help to further diversify the tenant mix in Brackley. I am confident there will be further announcements on more new tenants shortly,” said James Haestier, director, industrial & logistics at Colliers International. Home to a number of major companies including Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport, Faccenda Group and DLC, Brackley is located just six miles from Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix. This puts Arrow Park at the heart of the ‘Motorsport Triangle’, an area which is popular with many high-value engineering, distribution companies and motorsport companies. The development will form part of a larger mixed use estate comprising where a new Sainsbury’s superstore, hotel and healthcare centre are planned. Colliers International is an industry-leading real estate services company with a global brand operating in 69 countries and a workforce of more than 12,000 skilled professionals serving clients in the world’s most important markets.