Improving net gains
October 1st 2009

Generally, the logistics industry appears to have been slow to embrace the marketing opportunities offered by the internet. However,Roger Williams thinks UKWA’s recently relaunched website will be a useful tool for both buyers and sellers of warehousing space

With an estimated 15 million people in the UK using the internet for business, and 80% of all businesses using the internet as part of their procurement process, having an effective web site should be regarded as being as necessary as having a corporate social responsibility or environmental policy. However, while the latter two documents will not necessarily generate increased income (although a failure to provide them will often result in business being lost) a properly structured and maintained website should bring sales.

Many people believe that today a company’s website can be its most cost-effective marketing asset and those logistics companies which invest in and maintain their sites not only stand to gain work through them - sometimes in impressive quantities - but also enhance their own reputations.

Unfortunately if you search through logistics and warehousing websites you find more which are out of date and do a disservice to their owners than modern, highly ranked, well maintained sites. None of these companies would allow a liveried truck to rust away, much less send it to a client’s premises – yet in effect that is what happens with all too many websites.

The UKWA’s own relaunched website went live at the end of September and, as well as providing a 24/7 resource for our members, the new facility has been developed to attract people who are looking to place contracts with third party logistics companies.

Buyers of 3PL services can search by geographical area or type of service required to access details of relevant suppliers that meet their needs quickly and easily. As a result we expect the site to become a valuable source of business leads for UKWA members.

Of course, apart from being an invaluable resource for warehouse space buyers, our new site has also been designed to become a valuable source of business leads for UKWA members, and there are a number of ways that members can use the site to promote their business.

For example, the company listing in the ‘Find a Logistics Supplier’ online search facility allows UKWA members to post a free listing consisting of up to 60 words describing the company and its services together with an address and telephone number.

An automated email response mechanism allows visitors to the site to email their interest in a member’s services directly to that member. The email will be sent to an email address of each member’s choosing and will appear in the member’s inbox flagged with the subject title ‘UKWA enquiry.’

But that isn’t all, the new site has more information about a host of warehousing and logistics-related issues, easier navigation, a forum that will encourage companies to contribute to debates on relevant issues, a video blog to allow the association to communicate its views on issues and it will have an advanced search facility for warehouse space searching and selling.

Going forward, we believe it will benefit both UKWA members and the broader industy.

www.ukwa.org.uk

Warehouse Futures: Stark warning

The amount of new-build warehouse space completed in the first half of 2009 was lower than at any time in the previous decade.

2.8 million sq ft of new space was developed and, of that figure, only a 1.2 million square feet was speculatively developed. When compared with the 44 million square feet of warehousing which was built speculatively between 2006 and 2008, the potential for a future shortage of good quality new warehousing space is clear to see.

Sally Bruer, Partner Head of Industrial Research at property consultants Gerald Eve, delivered this stark message during her address at the recent UKWA Warehousing Futures Conference.

However, Bruer went on to say that while speculative warehouse and distribution centre construction was likely to remain depressed for the next three to five years, the total amount of warehousing space currently available in the UK is on the increase. As a result, there are plenty of opportunities for warehouse occupiers to negotiate more favorable rent agreements with landlords. “Landlords are under pressure and the incentives many are offering are some of the most attractive seen since the beginning of the 1990s,” she said.

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