BCMPA, an association for contract manufacturing, packing, fulfilment and logistics, has reported a large increase in traffic to and users of its website since lockdown came into force in the UK in March.
The website – at www.bcmpa.org.uk – is currently receiving over 15,000 unique page views a month with visitors double that of last year. This growth is attributed to potential customers looking to the internet for outsourcing services and providers.
In direct response, BCMPA has introduced a series of enhancements to its website to create an improved overall user experience and make it easier for brand owners, retailers, manufacturers and e-commerce companies to find outsourcing partners to support them with their projects. The combination of improved search functionality and an online enquiry form have driven an upsurge in enquiries for members’ services, BCMPA noted. These have come from industries such as food and drink, nutraceuticals, personal care, pharmaceutical, chemical and household goods, all needing help to cope with demand brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
The improved navigation and structural design allow prospective customers to create a shortlist from the association’s 160-plus members, who include the likes of Alexir Partnership, mda, and Universal Flexible Packaging, and offer services from pack design and print, to cartoning and mailing, and all the way through to freight and warehousing services.
Rodney Steel, BCMPA chief executive, said, ‘Since lockdown, we have seen a significant growth in outsourcing across every sector. In particular enquiries for personal care items, such as hand sanitisers, rocketed by over 500 percent and as the nation returns to work we are now seeing requirements coming in for kitting of back-to-work packs and testing kits.’
Mr Steel continued, ‘Since we relaunched our website in February 2019, we have embarked on a programme of continuous improvement to ensure it remains both user-friendly and a valuable source of information for our visitors. As we entered lockdown, and project enquiries and site traffic began to dramatically increase, this became more important than ever. Further developments will be introduced in the coming months.’
