Visku boosts UK supply chain resilience with Pallet Hotel
With procurement professionals having to rapidly respond to disruptions throughout the supply chain, having a flexible option for warehousing materials in short notice can make the difference between success and failure. To help, Visku has launched Pallet Hotel – an on-demand warehousing offering, giving pay-as-you-need storage for companies across the UK.
Founded in 2008, Visku is a consulting firm specialising in supply chain services. It offers expertise to help clients unlock their supply chain with data, insight and an extensive virtual network.
2024 is a time of huge disruption for the supply chain industry. From climate events, to the repercussions of Brexit, to trade conflicts between the US and China, to Israel’s war in the Middle East, delays and challenges for procurement will be felt for years to come. Stockpiling goods is an essential way to prepare for such disruptions, with retailers stockpiling goods ahead of seasonal peaks, while manufacturers are looking for ways to move production closer to home.
But this kind of resilience depends on the right warehousing strategy. With many firms stuck in a stressful cycle, going from having too much unused space to not having enough room when stockpiling is needed, Visku has decided to put its knowhow behind a new flexible storage offering – which is much easier to adapt when times get tough.
Speaking about the offering via the firm’s website,
Andrew Jackson-Proes, chief customer officer at Visku, explained, “Pallet Hotel is set to transform on-demand warehousing, offering pay-as-you-need storage, flexible terms, and access to a wider range of facilities than any single provider can otherwise offer.”
Built to help businesses adapt quickly, no matter the situation, Pallet Hotel has partnered with more than 200 warehousing sites across the UK. With over 5 million square feet of space within the network, the service offers customers the option of storing between 1,000 and 50,000 pallets – operating via flexible contracts ranging from one week to five years.
According to Jackson-Proes, the service can help clients take advantage of last-minute offers. For example, if a retailer wants to make use of a deal, but does not know how to store the goods it is buying, with Pallet Hotel, the firm can instantly book extra storage without being “tied to a term for any longer than needed”, as “you can end your commitment as soon as you can shift the stock”.
As well as minimising risks in the warehousing process, this also opens the door for “deeper collaboration across the UK’s warehousing network”. Jackson-Proes noted that the project’s “agnostic approach to the industry” has allowed for strong relationships with a large network of 3PLs, partners, property owners, and automation and robotics providers across the country. This network includes underutilised grey space – spare storage space in an already occupied warehouse – which means Pallet Hotel can provide storage closer to customers as we have access to both logistics parks and urban areas. At the same time, the shared resources allow for better standards of sustainability.
“We’re helping the UK to make the most of its warehousing space in a way that’s been very difficult to do up until now. With Pallet Hotel, businesses can share the same resources and premises, helping everyone to minimise their carbon footprint. This responsible storage model means we could reduce the demand for new warehouses in the future, helping to look after the UK’s rural heritage,” Jackson-Proes explained. “Our UK-wide network of warehouses also gives businesses more logistical options so that they can store goods closer to their suppliers, their own warehouses, or even their customers.”
At the same time, this could help the wider UK economy. As the country faces multiple headwinds, supply chain resilience will prove crucial for its recovery in the months ahead.
Jackson-Proes concluded, “The UK needs stronger supply chains. We need to be using our existing resources better. We need to be collaborating more. And we need to empower retailers and manufacturers by giving them faster, more cost-effective storage solutions. By harnessing the benefits of Pallet Hotel, businesses will have more capital and more capability to meet supply chain challenges head-on. Not only is this an opportunity for them, it’s an opportunity as a nation to advance our skills, infrastructure, sustainability and our economy – driving much-needed growth across the UK.”
Visku was recently named among Consultancy.uk’s list of the top consulting firms in the UK. The firm was rated bronze for its services in the supply chain category.
