UK Warehousing Association Launches New Survey to Benchmark Logistics

UK – The United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) has devised a survey to benchmark logistics in partnership with the United States-based Warehousing Education & Research Council (WERC), whose 'DC Measures' survey has been a recognised resource for 15 years. Using WERC's well-proven platform, the survey will benchmark UK warehousing operations against a set of international industry standards.

Thought to be the first time such an exhaustive study has been undertaken in the warehousing and supply chain sectors, the survey aims to deliver key metrics relating to the logistics industry’s overall performance and establish best practice guidelines against which third party logistics services operators can measure their own performance and establish goals for improvement within their business.

The online benchmarking survey takes around 15 minutes to complete and is free to UKWA members. All information given remains completely anonymous and participating companies will receive a complimentary copy of the finished report when it is published in May of this year. UKWA CEO Peter Ward, explained the thinking behind the study, saying:

“The aim is to determine and share best-in-class warehousing practices currently in use by industry leaders, nationally and globally, helping those who take part determine how their own operations compare to others across a range of key criteria. With the rapidly changing logistics landscape and emerging new technology, understanding how to improve, optimise and prepare your operation for the future is essential.”

The benchmarking survey was launched with a webinar presentation earlier this month during which Peter Ward was joined by Lynn Parnell of Logistics Partners and Joe Tillman, lead researcher for WERC’s DC Measures Survey and which can still be heard on the link above. This explains the approach to benchmarking as a way to judge a company's performance against the best in its field without actually having to contact any competitors or reveal its own possible shortcomings in a completely anonymous process.

Meanwhile the UKWA is building up to its National Conference, being held this year at the Casa Hotel, Chester on March 7-8. Subjects under discussion will range from the new Customs Declaration Service (CDS) to the new technology which will form the basis of the warehouse of the future and how the industry can best address the skills shortage.