E- Commerce Boom: Is Your Warehouse Floor Sinking Under the Pressure?

The pandemic-driven e-commerce boom has created a huge surge in demand for warehouse space. When the UK went into lockdown, retailers were forced to shut their shops in favour of trading online. This was all in the interest of public health but this only accelerated the speed at which retailers were already adapting to the growing consumer preference to shop online. Research suggests that this e-commerce boom is actually the new “normal” and the trend to shop online will outlive the pandemic. 

Warehouse and Logistics Managers have a busy time ahead of them. They need to keep up with the order uptake, alongside ensuring the Warehouse facility can cope with this increase in demand and that it is a safe place to work.

One often overlooked problem, when considering hazards, is sinking floors. Sinking floors can slow or even halt production because of the health and safety risk. With larger volumes of stock and more traffic than ever driving over warehouse floors, this can really take its toll and may not be noticed until it becomes an issue. 

In the middle of a boom, this is the perfect time to capitalise on profit. The UK is progressing with the roadmap out of lockdown, having a subsidence or settlement problem could hinder business operations. 

Why is my floor sinking now?

A concrete slab may drop due to voids in the ground, or settle due to weight burden, so the increased loads from greater volumes of stock coupled with greater traffic to meet the demand of orders may all play a part in why your floor is sinking now. 

What can I do about it?

There are various methods available to fix sinking floors. Traditional methods include underpinning or piling but this can be hugely disruptive to business.

Geobear is the UK leader in stabilisation and re-levelling of large facility floors. We have a technical solution that can be employed with minimal impact on business operations. 

What is the Geobear Solution?

Geobear has special geopolymer resins that are designed to re-level your warehouse floor quickly and in a non-disruptive manner. The geopolymer is injected into the ground through small holes and expands below the ground to lift the sunken floor. It follows the path of least resistance until all space is filled and the soil is compacted enough to bear the load of the structure above and begin raising it up.

How long does it take?

Piling can take 1 – 3 months to complete. 

The Geobear geopolymer injection solution can be completed in around 3 – 10 days. 

I need to expand my existing Warehouse upwards. Can Geobear help with that?

Warehouse space is like gold dust at the moment, so many businesses have decided to expand at their existing sites, upwards. The demand for mezzanine floor solutions is higher than ever before. 

As part of the planning, Commercial and Logistic Managers need to think about how the increased load may affect their warehouse floor. The increase in racking puts greater pressure on the floor slab, and while there may be no signs of a sinking floor right now, a Structural Engineer may still recommend the ground is strengthened to avoid this happening in the future. 

Geobear can help with this. We commonly work on sites where a new mezzanine floor is installed and the ground requires improvement to withstand the increased pressure it will be subject to.  Our solution does not involve any major construction work, so there is minimal business disruption. 

See how we helped Valeo Foods with a Mezzanine Floor – Ground improvement scheme here.