An international services provider to the e-commerce sector has opened a new 28,000 sq ft site in North Lincolnshire.
Fulfilmentcrowd, the Lancashire-based specialist, has taken on a new site in Belton, near Scunthorpe, as it expands the network to meet growing demand from small retailers.
A total of 10 new jobs will be created at a 13th operating base for the company, hot on the heels of establishing facilities in France and Holland.
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Together they will add almost a further 50 per cent capacity during the next 12 months.
Lee Thompson, managing director, said Belton provides easy access to the Ƶ’s main motorway network, as it picks, packages and delivers products for more than 500 retailers nationwide.
“During the past 12 months, we’ve seen 67 per cent growth in the number of e-commerce SME retailers we’re working with,” he said.
“This growth is expected to continue over the next few years, as smaller retailers scale-up. “Last year’s lockdowns inspired a trend of consumers wanting to support independent businesses, which has continued well into 2021 and shows little sign of slowing down.
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“Our new Belton centre, along with European expansion, will enable us to effectively meet this demand. This will mean we can sustain growth, whilst maintaining high-quality standards and providing customers with the expertise and confidence to increase sales volumes and scale their retail operations.”
Fulfilmentcrowd will operate the Belton centre in partnership with Connect Warehousing, which has joined its fulfilment partner network. It provides warehouse operators with the opportunity to optimise space by cost-effectively allocating spare space to SME e-commerce retailers they may not traditionally work with due to specified minimum volume requirements.
Mr Thompson added: “Fulfilmentcrowd exists to provide small and medium volume e-commerce retailers with the ability to simply and affordably get their goods to shoppers across the Ƶ and around the world. These types of businesses are thriving in the region and our Belton centre provides them with a gateway to growing sales internationally.
“There’s an active pipeline of new customers, which will see us quickly filling the increased capacity. We already have an eye on further openings, with locations and partners under consideration.
“We are planning ahead of the demand curve, ensuring we’re in a position to continually grow our customer base, whilst also accommodating the expanding capacity requirements of the existing, fast-growth SME retailers we’re already working with.”
Earlier this year Fulfilmentcrowd closed its financial year with a £7.5 million investment from growth capital investor BGF. It reported a 71 per cent growth in revenues, with turnover hitting £13 million.
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