However within two years, the company had added ten storage containers to cope with the stock demands caused by the continued substantial growth that the business has been experiencing.

This stop gap solution only served to buy time before a massive reorganisation of their warehouse could be undertaken in 2005 to generate a 30% improved utilisation of that space.

This has now been completed. At the same time, space had been acquired in an adjoining warehouse site in Trowbridge. Together these measures are expected to allow for a 50% growth in stocking levels.

Not that Blue Max considered that to be sufficient for their short term requirements. It has already applied for, and received, planning permission for a new 23,000 square foot warehouse on its Trowbridge site.

One of the features of the warehouse reorganisation has been the introduction of gravity fed roller racking with a gentle slope towards the pick face. The beauty of this system is that the pick face is very compact and immediately allows for a doubling of pick face locations, i.e. doubling the effective product range capacity. In addition it is easy to rotate stock on a First-in-First-Out basis as the stock is replenished from the other side to the pick face.

Blue Max is in the process of introducing a completely new software system and this will further enhance the efficiency and control of all their processes including warehouse management.

The most significant benefits of these improvements is that Blue Max will improve customer service through a reduction in picking errors, fewer stockouts and improved information.

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