With customers and imports red tape impacting 26% of all businesses operating within the UK, customs and imports challenges are continuing to drive demand for warehousing space for frozen and perishable food products.
Companies that usually operate lean supply chains are now reversing their processes to stockpile certain foodstuffs due to increased costs and a lack of availability which in turn is driving up the costs and lowering the availability of specialist warehouses that deal primarily with frozen and perishable goods.
With warehouses now being urged to make additional space for more storage and extra freezer and refrigeration units, Phil Chesworth, Managing Director of Midland Pallet Trucks, is reminding warehousing managers and retailers to consider aerial work platforms and lift tables if they are intending to increase stock levels by utilising taller racking systems that can often be difficult to reach manually.
He said, “As demand for food will never decline, many grocery retailers are looking to minimise post-Brexit red tape and import challenges by stockpiling certain goods in a sector where warehousing space is already at a premium.
“Making the most of available floor space usually means stacking stock higher, so it’s imperative that any retailer looking to make the most of their warehouse floor footprint considers the health and safety implications for the staff that will need to store and retrieve these items from height.”
Midland Pallet Trucks, a provider of high-quality lifting equipment including pallet trucks, manual stacker trucks and lift tables are asking warehousing operating within the fresh and frozen food sector to consider aerial work platforms to help staff store and reach consignments safely while making the most of warehousing space.
As Brexit and the global Covid-19 has seen a significant rise in online grocery shopping, the demand for fresh and frozen food both available online and in-store shows no sign of slowing down despite problems getting many products across EU borders.
This has lead to stockpiling as retailers seek to increase their inventory of certain goods, but this is a short term solution for any businesses dealing with both ambient and perishable goods that require a fast turnaround to avoid wastage.
Therefore, workers in this sector are often required to maintain strict productivity targets, so access to well maintained and high-quality lift equipment including aerial work platforms is essential to safeguard their health and wellbeing while meeting operational demand and increasing stock storage at height.
To find out more about the wide range of aerial work platforms and lift equipment available from Midland Pallet Trucks, visit https://www.midlandpallettrucks.com/
