A SPECIALIST warehouse has been completed in Cricklade to support greater demand for the storage of shipments after Brexit.

The new 10,000 sq ft warehouse, the third in Wiltshire by packaging manufacturer GWP Group, will manage the supply and distribution of packaging goods to businesses across the south west - providing invaluable in terms of contingency planning for Brexit.

The warehouse provides space for an additional 950 pallets - for the storage of finished packaging products - which GWP hold on behalf of their customers.

Ruth Cook, Managing director at GWP, said:“Many of our customers are nervous regarding the uncertainty of Brexit, and what it could mean for supply of goods and services – including packaging – to their business.

“One of the steps we are taking is to increase our buffer stock of raw material and finished product, and the additional space provided by the new warehouse will be a great help with managing this.”

The opening of the new warehouse has closely followed the purchase of new manufacturing equipment at both of GWPs’ sites in Cricklade and Salisbury, with more than £1.1 million being invested by the company since 2015.

James Pedley, Operations Manager at GWP Packaging said: “One of our key services is to hold our customers stock, and to supply it to them on a ‘Just in Time’ basis. This frees up their warehouse space, reduces their associated costs, and also allows us to monitor stock levels and manage peaks in demand for them too.

“Around 80 percent of our customers have us manage their packaging inventory for them, and with continued growth over the last 24 months, we have needed to increase our storage space in order to maintain the success of this service.

The new warehouse was completed last week and adds to the already 65,000sq ft warehouse units already on the site.

GWP was established in 1990 and employs more than 100 people at it sites in Salisbury and Cricklade.

Honda revealed in June that it would need to build a 300,000 square metre warehouse – the size of 42 football pitches – to keep enough parts in stock to keep the production line going for nine days at the plant in South Marston.