Rapid Pack in Oldbury had a special visitor, we wnet along to find out more

Express & Star

Rapid Pack are an e-commerce fullfillment centre, in Oldbury and they had a visitor from the UKWA, who are celebrating 80 years as an organisation. There boss is touring 80 Warehouse sites to mark the occasion.

Transcript

00:00 So we're here at Rapid Pat Fulfillment. Ben this is your baby.

00:03 It is, yeah.

00:04 Here in Oldbury and a special guest today. What's happening today Ben, fill us in.

00:08 So we've got Claire from the UK Warehousing Association.

00:11 Welcome Claire.

00:12 Part of their year of warehousing, doing 80 tours around the country.

00:16 That's right, visiting 80 warehouses to celebrate the fact that our organisation's 80 years old.

00:20 Yeah.

00:21 Quite some miles you're clocking up and you've got a very fancy car up front.

00:23 Yeah, we've got a sign written.

00:25 So yeah, it'd be nice to show you around and show you what we do.

00:29 So what's some of the challenges in business Ben, in this kind of sector that you'll be chatting about?

00:37 All of the grumbles. So we're talking business rates, energy bills, lack of funding for small businesses.

00:44 There's lots of money available in theory for big capital projects.

00:49 But I find it for smaller businesses just not possible.

00:53 And then just the overall state of the economy and making sure we can continue to support

00:57 small local businesses with how they want to grow.

01:00 It is an election year this year isn't it?

01:02 It is yeah.

01:02 And we hear from both of the major parties, they're very keen to support business growth.

01:08 But it feels like there's a bit of a blind spot around logistics and warehousing in particular.

01:13 One of the things that the trade associations are arguing for within our sector

01:17 is a logistics minister in the next government.

01:19 And we think that might address some of the things you've just talked about Ben.

01:22 It's always a forgotten area isn't it, even though it's one of the most pivotal industries.

01:26 Nothing works without it.

01:28 You can't have growth in the economy without the logistics to back it up.

01:31 Yeah and Alison you'll represent the Black Country Chamber.

01:35 Great to have Claire here today isn't it? Visiting.

01:37 It's a fantastic opportunity.

01:39 Yeah and Ben it's a bit of everything isn't it basically.

01:42 So lots of different little companies use you.

01:44 All kinds of products come out of here and posted and packed on and sent onwards.

01:49 Yeah.

01:49 How many different businesses do you reckon you support here Ben?

01:52 We're supporting 60 clients at the moment.

01:54 Yeah.

01:55 And we've been going for the last three years.

01:56 So any e-commerce business.

01:59 We do support other businesses as well who business to business source additional support.

02:03 But it's primarily online brands and retail where they don't have the space to do it themselves

02:07 or they don't want to hire a team.

02:09 They just focus strongly on growth, marketing, production.

02:13 And then we handle all their shipping in the UK and around the world

02:17 as well as providing services around marketing, IT support and things

02:21 to really help them focus on what they're doing.

02:24 And yeah so far so good.

02:25 We've seen some really great numbers on their growth and it's getting there.

02:28 It's nice.

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