£30,000 tech investment set to pay off for Loughborough packaging firm

Loughborough-based corrugated cardboard packaging supplier Colton Packaging has invested £30,000 in a new warehouse management system which is expected to improve its stock taking efficiency by around 80%.

The new system, created by MJM Data and named Bridge WMS Standard, is part of a digital transformation Colton is currently implementing to meet the needs of its growing client base.

The fully automated software package incorporates every aspect of warehouse management, including stock takes, goods receipts, order picking and stock movements and transfers.

Laura Colton-Smith, managing director at Colton Packaging, said: “This substantial upgrade is part of a wider investment in our bespoke, stock and serve packaging facility, including our new warehouse expansion that is currently underway. It supports our ambitious plans for modernisation through innovation and we are one of only a few operators in the packaging industry to invest in this automated approach.”

Colton-Smith added: “We’ve been planning this for a while, yet COVID and the move to the new premises slowed it down, so we’re thrilled to have finally gone live.

“We are already seeing the benefits of our investment, with staff adapting well. It makes their lives easier as they don’t have to rely on memory, it saves time and ultimately makes the job better.  Our customers are also seeing the advantages of an automated and accurate stock management system. This improved efficiency and accuracy means that we can now deliver an improved service to our customers, particularly around stock rotation, traceability info production and product recall which is vital in food packaging.”