A surge in enquiries for storage options has prompted JS Davidson to undertake a reconfiguration of its warehousing space in Peterborough.
The temperature-controlled specialist said it had made 2,500 pallet spaces available to accommodate the growing demand from food and drink manufacturers and distributors seeking flexible and reliable warehousing solutions.
MD John Davidson said manufacturers were favouring shorter-term contracts with smaller volumes, which was being driven by the need for greater flexibility in managing fluctuating demand.
The trend also coincides with a looming threat of tariffs of up to 30% on EU exports to the US, which was prompting European businesses to relocate manufacturing operations to the UK.
Davidson said: “We’re responding to this need by reconfiguring our warehousing space to free up capacity, with the added benefit of continuing to offer flexible storage terms that help businesses remain agile and competitive in a market that is becoming more unpredictable.
“There are several factors that have probably led to this, rather than one singular event.
“The shift in consumer buying habits, spurred by a renewed appreciation for the convenience, long shelf life, and value offered by ambient products, is certainly a cause.
“But then there are intangibles such as business reaction to imposed tariffs, and of course the flurry of trade deals which have recently been agreed that are either encouraging companies to rethink their operations or invest in new markets.”
Davidson added that it was too early to gauge how much of an effect trade deals would augment demand, but he said it was clear that international businesses were beginning to either break into the UK market or accelerate their footprint here.
“To cater to this, we’re doing what we can to make our storage solutions both scalable and flexible to ensure we can meet the evolving needs of our customers both existing and new as the marketplace evolves,” he said.
