Warehouse Managers are as skilled as scientists

At UKWA, part of our core mission is to champion the warehousing sector, not just within our own community, but far beyond it. We work to raise awareness of warehousing as a critical component of the supply chain, a key contributor to the UK economy, and a sector brimming with diverse and rewarding career opportunities. While those of us within the industry understand this deeply, our goal is to take that message to new and sometimes unexpected audiences.

Last month, I had the opportunity to do just that when I spoke at ChemUK, the UK’s largest trade event for the chemicals, process engineering, and formulated products sectors. The audience was primarily composed of manufacturers, many of whom manage their own warehousing operations. Yet, as in so many other industries, there is a tendency to overlook the strategic role warehousing plays in business success. Drawing upon the 80 warehouse visits I made last year, my aim was to spotlight the significant transformation our sector has undergone, highlight emerging trends, and challenge some long-held misconceptions particularly around the skillsets required in our field.

So I claimed, provocatively, that warehouse managers in the chemicals sector are just as skilled as the scientists they work alongside. That certainly captured the audience’s attention. And I believe the comparison is valid.

Chemical warehouse managers must possess a thorough understanding of material properties, including reactivity, toxicity, and flammability. They are tasked with ensuring compliance with strict regulations such as COSHH, performing detailed risk assessments, and developing robust safety protocols to prevent incidents. This includes planning for spill containment, fire prevention, and emergency response procedures, all while managing inventory, tracking shipments, forecasting demand, and using data to make operational decisions.

Such responsibilities demand a high level of technical knowledge, analytical thinking, and a disciplined approach to problem-solving, attributes closely aligned with scientific practice. In many ways, the mindset and methodologies of effective warehouse managers mirror those of researchers: iterative, data-driven, and grounded in safety and precision.

Back in 2022, Chi Onwurah MP remarked that “We should be inspiring young people with the endless possibilities of science, not directing them to warehouses.” I welcome her sense of ambition, but in light of what warehousing professionals truly do — especially in complex sectors like chemicals — I would argue that careers in warehouse management and science require comparable levels of expertise and offer equally compelling opportunities.

Warehouse management is just one facet of our industry’s growing demand for skilled professionals. The sector also needs more engineers, software developers, automation specialists, and supply chain strategists. That’s why our work at UKWA increasingly involves engaging with other industries, young people, and government to highlight the wide range of skills our sector requires.

I’m therefore pleased to announce that UKWA has been invited to join the Department for Transport’s new Freight Workforce Group. This initiative, building on the efforts of the People & Skills Delivery Group, aims to address workforce challenges across the freight and logistics sectors. Through this influential forum, we’ll be advocating for targeted skills training, raising awareness of career pathways in warehousing, and working to dismantle the barriers to recruitment and retention.

This is what we mean by “talking about warehousing.” It’s about making sure our sector’s voice is heard; and more importantly, ensuring it leads to meaningful action on behalf of our members and the wider industry.

Clare Bottle

UKWA, CEOThe post Warehouse Managers are as skilled as scientists first appeared on Warehouse & Logistics News.