What are the Factors to Consider when Selecting a Site for a Warehouse?

These are the most important things to think about when deciding which warehouse site to choose for your business

There are several factors you must take into account when selecting the site for the warehouse you will use to store your products and goods.

In the UK alone, there are several sites across the country where logistics providers offer warehouse storage facilities, but some are in superior locations to others.

By considering the below criteria when selecting a site for a warehouse you will be able to ensure the storage facility you choose will best meet your requirements.

Factor one: warehouse facility

One of the most important things to consider is, of course, the warehouse itself. The facility should be modern, clean and secure to ensure the goods being stored are properly protected.

The best warehouses will use state of the art technology to track and monitor the goods being stored, making it much more efficient to move goods in and out of the facility.

If you are looking to store perishable goods such as food the warehouse will need to provide temperature-controlled storage.

Finally, it is always worth checking whether the warehouse provider is accredited by the British Retail Consortium or AIB as this means they are meeting the highest standards.

Factor two: location

The location of the warehouse site is just as important as the facility itself and in particular the transport networks it benefits from.

A number of warehouse providers are based at major UK ports; our warehouses are just a stone’s throw from the Port of Hull and enjoy some of the best transport links in the country.

Not only can we move cargo to and from the port in a matter of minutes, but the Port of Hull also has direct access to dual carriageway roads leading to the M62.

The M62 feeds the M18 and the M1, which service the whole of the British Isles.

In addition to this, the Port of Hull is connected to the more than 6,500 miles of canals and rivers that make up the UK waterways system.

And for those that require transportation via air, the World Freight Terminal at Manchester Airport is a little over two hours away via road.

In addition to transport links, consider whether the local infrastructure of the warehouse site is suitable for facilitating the transportation and storage of your goods.

Factor three: cost

The cost of using the storage facility must also be taken into account when choosing the best warehouse site for your needs.

While businesses are always looking to drive efficiencies, in some cases you pay for what you get and when it comes to warehousing that is certainly the case.

Modern, secure warehousing can cost more but it does mean you can be confident that your products are being kept in the best possible condition.

What’s more, the best warehouses will use technologies to improve the efficiency of storing and transporting goods which ultimately lead to cost savings for you and your business.

Finally, costs can often be negotiated especially if entering a long-term agreement with the storage provider so always bare that in mind.

Factor four: reputation of provider

As a business, you will want to do all you can to make sure that your products and goods are being stored in the best possible condition.

If you also require transportation to and from the warehouse, then this will be even more of a priority as goods are more likely to become damaged while in transit.

For these reasons, and those mentioned above, you should always work with an established warehouse and transportation provider.

Such companies have been providing these services for many years, sometimes even decades, and truly understand what it takes to provide a superior facility and service.

While choosing the right warehouse site can be tough, if you consider the above factors you will be able to find the facility that best meets your needs and requirements.