SUPPLY CHAIN B


roadly speaking, businesses have been increasingly using warehouses to hold additional stock closer to customers to protect themselves against supply chain disruption.


This has become an almost-daily


consideration in the wake of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the impact of the US administration’s tariffs on international trade. However, we are seeing a slightly different picture at Marshall’s Transport. Some of our customers have switched to


a ‘just in time’ model where previously they would have held a lot of stock. There could be a number of reasons for this, for example, cost challenges or only being able to afford to pay for a certain amount of storage. This could reflect the wider industry


pushback against ‘zombie inventories’, the phenomenon of slow-moving stock which businesses have stockpiled in warehouses and subsequently find it hard to shift; a legacy of the pandemic when caution was the name of the game. Whatever the reasoning for the shift, the


result is we’re seeing more shipments being left to the last minute, leading to orders coming through to us where containers haven’t even arrived yet. However, we are getting lots of inquiries


about warehousing, which is a good sign. And while the above example is just one of the challenges faced in running a busy warehouse, there is a more positive picture if you look closely enough. Warehouses face similar recruitment


challenges to transport operations, and what we are seeing is drivers are like gold dust at the moment. However, if you build a good team and keep


it together, this can be the most natural buffer against ever-increasing costs and scarcity of new recruits. A stable team means fewer moving parts,


which shields us from some of the cost pressures of other parts of the supply chain. And we have a really good core team in our warehouse. It’s a job where if you want to get on, you can. To give one example, Matt Ballinger joined


WAREHOUSING THROUGH UNCERTAIN TIMES


By Brian Simpson, Operations Director, Marshall’s Transport


If you’re looking to take the temperature of an industry in a perpetual state of flux, analysing how your warehouse is performing is a good place to start


us as a warehouse operative four years ago and our warehouse manager, Pete Dixon, took him under his wing. He’s now been promoted to warehouse supervisor and is flourishing in the role. In addition, we have another three


warehouse operatives on the team, who are all doing a great job. It’s hard work unloading containers, particularly with the hot weather we have had this year. You don’t need a gym membership, that’s for sure! As a family-run firm we have an excellent


track record for staff retention and that bank of experience can only help us as we move forward. The proof of our warehousing team’s


effectiveness is in our hard-won accreditations, we’re certified by the Soil Association to handle organic products and we also hold BRCGS AA certification, recognising the highest possible level of compliance around packaging, food, storage and distribution. Online retail continues to grow and that


creates opportunities for logistics providers who, like us, offer integrated transport and warehousing services. There is a general train of thought that


businesses which are set up this way are better positioned to manage today’s logistics challenges and we would be inclined to agree. We have invested heavily to provide


seamless integration between our warehousing and logistics operations, ensuring our warehousing facilities are designed to receive and store stock efficiently, ready for call-off, order picking and distribution whenever required. Hygiene factors such as inventory handling,


accurate picking and rapid turnaround for dispatch are handled via our warehouse management system and form an integral part of this offering. The idea of being hit with ‘once in a


generation’ shocks now feels somewhat old hat; we are used to facing supply chain challenges on an almost-daily basis. Our ability to roll with the punches and retain our best people is crucial to our future success.


Marshall’s Transport www.marshallsofevesham.co.uk 34 SEPTEMBER 2026 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS


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