Superb transport links along with a skilled and diverse workforce make Yorkshire and the North East an attractive location for logistics and manufacturing businesses – and mezzanines are helping them overcome a low warehouse vacancy rate.
Two of the UK’s major airports – Leeds Bradford and Newcastle – provide extensive international and domestic connectivity, while major ports include Port of Tyne, Hull and Immingham, which are among the busiest in the UK with crucial access to international markets. Hull, for instance, handles a substantial amount of container traffic and has good links to the road and rail networks.
The M1, M62 and M18 intersect Yorkshire, providing efficient links to key cities and connecting the region to the rest of the UK, including London and the South East, as well as to other northern hubs. The A1(M) connects North East England to a wide motorway network. Rail routes including the East Coast Main Line and TransPennine Express offer high-speed connections to London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool.
Yorkshire’s diverse economy means the workforce is adaptable and experienced in multiple sectors, from traditional manufacturing to modern technology and services, while the North East workforce is recognised for its strong work ethic and resilience, traits developed through the region’s history of industrial challenges and economic changes.
Limited development pipeline
A Savills UK Big Shed Briefing on Yorkshire and the North East has identified a rise in the supply of warehouse space thanks to the addition of two large units over 500,000 sq. ft to the market. However, it also noted a preference towards smaller unit sizes and a development pipeline of just three units under construction (totalling 460,476 sq. ft ) in the wider region. This will keep the current 6.37% vacancy rate lower as supply is absorbed.
Third-party logistics firms account for 31% of activity, according to Savills, with wholesalers at 16% and manufacturers at 15%. The remainder is spread across grocery and high street retailers. Looking at unit counts, the region is performing 30% ahead of 2023, however take-up is still 30% below the long-term average.
Maximum benefit from available space
In this context, smart-thinking companies are looking for the maximum benefit from available space that comes from installing a mezzanine floor. Putting in one or more mezzanine tiers helps our ambitious clients make full use of their vertical capacity and avoid the costs and inconvenience of finding new premises.
They are future-proofing their operations to ensure they have the space for more product and more staff as their businesses grow: a mezzanine floor can double, triple or quadruple usable space.
Strength and durability
There is also a historic link between mezzanines and the region. Yorkshire and the North East have a strong steel heritage (Sheffield has been known as Steel City) and steel is an essential material used in all of our mezzanine floors.
Its strength and durability mean it can support light to heavy loads to suit any application as well as providing a long-lasting, low-maintenance solution. Steel is a versatile material which allows us to deliver bespoke mezzanine floors that can be adapted and expanded over time to meet our clients’ requirements.
Two examples of Hi-Level Mezzanines’ work in Yorkshire and the North East show the benefits of mezzanine floors:
- For medical device manufacturer Sheffmed, based in South Yorkshire, we installed a mezzanine to increase efficiency. Sheffmed wanted to bring a large quantity of palletised stock that was currently being held in offsite storage under the same roof as their pick, pack and dispatch operation.
The mezzanine is now used for storage of palletised stock while the area underneath accommodates the pick, pack and dispatch process. Being able to hold all its stock on one site has not only reduced the costs associated with offsite storage and transport back to the warehouse but also streamlined the company’s operation with additional stock being on hand as needed.
Other clients use a mezzanine to house their office and warehousing operations under the same roof.
- For fashion retailer Next in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, we installed a two-tier, 24,000²m mezzanine floor in a warehouse being converted into a new distribution centre. The mezzanine can bear a load of 6kN/m² to support a specialist conveyor belt sortation system that transports goods around the warehouse in preparation for dispatch to stores and mail-order customers.
Read more about mezzanines for conveyors here.
Exciting developments
Two more exciting developments in the region include:
- A £450 million Amazon fulfilment centre that opened in Stockton in the North East in 2023. The new robotics site will eventually create over 2,000 jobs in the area and is the company’s fourth fulfilment centre in the region. Amazon’s investment in the North East now totals more than £1.7 billion since 2010, with centres opened in Darlington in May 2020, Durham in September 2020 and Gateshead in September 2021.
- A landmark for sustainable construction with the opening of the Sherburn42 logistics warehouse scheme in North Yorkshire, which has exceeded its targets and is poised to be accredited as net zero carbon in construction by the UK Green Building Council. The 660,000 sq. foot development, made up of four Grade A industrial units, is located between Leeds and York. It represents a significant milestone in sustainable construction and has set a new standard for the development of eco-friendly logistics schemes. The project by McLaren Construction Midlands and North boasts eco-friendly features including EV charging stations, extensive photovoltaic coverage and LED office lighting.
Hi-Level Mezzanines provides mezzanine floors of the highest quality in the industry, yet remaining competitively priced thanks to the expertise of our team of qualified structural engineers, innovative digital design process and advanced solutions.
If you are considering installing a mezzanine and would like more information, contact us today at [email protected] or call 01730 237 190 .
