Evaluate road access to M3/M2 and proximity to Dublin and regional ports, dock door and yard capacity, racking and clear height, multi-temperature capability, bonded storage options, and direct carrier lanes. Also require WMS/API integration, real-time inventory visibility, and SLAs for cut-off times and order accuracy to support omnichannel flows.

Cavan's location reduces last-mile mileage to Greater Dublin and enables efficient trunking to UK ferry ports. Lower local rents can offset slightly longer transit to some coastal ports. Consolidation, zone-skipping, and multi-carrier contracts are typical strategies to optimize LTL/TL rates and minimize landed costs while maintaining predictable transit windows.

Require order accuracy (pick/pack) rates, on-time dispatch percentages, average order cycle time, inventory accuracy, and dock-to-despatch lead times. Include penalty/bonus clauses for SLA breaches, clear dispute timelines, and reporting cadence to verify performance and continuous improvement.

Balance lower labor rates and flexible seasonal staffing against higher upfront automation investments. For predictable high-volume SKUs, automation reduces per-order cost; for variable assortments, flexible labor and slotting optimization may be more cost-effective. Model total cost-per-order at peak and off-peak volumes to choose the right mix.