Warehousing is an important function in any supply chain that deals with physical products. It impacts the supply chain right from sourcing raw materials, to when the order is delivered to a customer – end user or retail store. With evolving warehousing solutions and their demand, it’s vital you know all about warehousing services and their key elements so as not neglect them over time.

An Introduction To Warehousing

Warehousing refers to the physical activity of storing goods in a storage facility before they are distributed, as there are different products available at various sizes. This stored inventory is organized and easy to retrieve for distribution when it’s needed.

Usually, small businesses start with storing goods in their own space like houses or garages, and it is only later on when they are well-established that they require bigger storage space and third party assistance for undertaking warehousing duties.

The need for warehousing solutions varies from business to business, but the basic requirements are the same.

To maintain a steady revenue, a regular retail store needs to keep new stock ready in the warehouse. Goods are brought from the manufacturer and stored before being distributed to stores when required.

E-commerce businesses require warehousing to keep the stock ready for delivery, so they can fulfill their customers’ demands within the desired timeline.

Key Elements of Warehousing Solutions

Warehousing solutions are more than just storing goods in a storage unit. There are three key elements that make warehousing one of the core functions of any company’s supply chain:

1. Warehouse Management – Warehouse management is the day-to-day operations of warehouses. This includes staff supervision, training, equipment handling, inventory management and safety measures. It also includes coordinating inbound and outbound shipments along with documents needed for it all to happen smoothly. Warehouse managers must take into consideration their businesses’ scale as well as complexity when carrying out these tasks while monitoring compliance standards at their facilities too. In addition to this are maintaining books or reports ready for audits so they can keep track of everything that happens within the facility. The warehouse has all safety gear such outputting best practices are followed within it.
2. Warehouse Operations – Getting the services of a good warehousing solution provider can help you improve your business in many ways. For instance, it will give you lower costs for inventory and better turn around time for when items are sold to customers. It also generates enough inventory on hand so there is never any shortage and optimizes usage of space as well as equipment, staff productivity and timely reports from stock status changes.
3. Warehouse Management System (WMS) – A Warehouse Management System (WMS) is a software tool that helps in reducing manual process and makes the warehouse more efficient. It manages the inventory from receipt to distribution, helping its stakeholders make timely business decisions.

If you are looking to start warehousing logistics in-house or outsource it to a specialist, ensure all the above key elements are in place. In one of our previous posts, we have listed some top reasons why outsourcing warehousing might be a good choice for your business.

Choosing Right Warehousing Solutions Provider

Supply chains have evolved and become more dynamic post-pandemic, warehousing plays an important part in the success of the supply chain. From storing raw materials sourced from one place, to be moved to manufacturers, to sourcing finished goods from manufacturers to the warehouses, assembling and shipping to the final destination – is sensitive and needs to be handled as required. You will require to be on top of all the warehousing activities, to ensure your supply chain in smooth. If you are looking for warehousing consultancy or outsourcing the function, evaluate our services. Send in your enquiry here.