The Challenge

A British home shopping business, serving circa 1.5 million customers annually, faced a number of challenges relating to the suitability of their current distribution centres to service the evolving requirements of the consumer market.

The customer was experiencing logistical and operational challenges due to the layout of their two current warehouse sites. With three warehouses in and around a major UK city, each with a distinct function, there was overlap in operations, leading to inefficiencies.

Furthermore, two of the warehouses faced operational challenges: one had inefficient storage due to low ceilings, and the other’s operations were spread across multiple floors, hindering efficiency.

The customer understood the operational problems caused by their three separate warehouses and decided to consolidate them into a single, new facility. However, they knew that simply moving their existing, inefficient processes into a new space would be risky. Therefore, they engaged Unipart to help them develop a culture of continuous improvement and build a flexible, collaborative workforce before the move. This preparation was key to ensuring a smooth transition and maximising the benefits of the consolidated warehouse.