A warehouse is a type of storage facility that receives goods and products for the eventual distribution to consumers or other businesses. Warehousing and distribution services management is the process of coordinating the goods that come into the warehouse, the subsequent tracking and storage of the goods, and the distribution of the goods to their proper destinations. Some moving and storage companies also provide warehousing and distribution services. The companies providing this service are able to handle any size project involving warehousing with quality assurance, allowing for quick access to the goods and products when they are needed.
Warehouse Functions
The business supply chain uses facilities in which companies can store the materials they purchase from manufacturers and then distribute them to the customer and all points in between. Often, materials are produced and manufactured in components and finished products, and warehousing facilities are needed for storage of these items until they can be distributed to the customer.
Other functions of warehouses include serving as a source of supplies for production, or as a staging area for final packaging or finishing. Warehouses can also be a place where products from different suppliers are combined and then distributed to fulfill orders from customers.
Warehouse Operations
Trains, trucks or boats are used to deliver goods and materials to a warehouse and are then placed on a dock or loading area. The goods are received, catalogued, and then sent into the warehouse for storage.
As part of warehousing operations, items are compactly stored in order to maximize space within the facility. Products can be placed on pallets, racks or in vaults to allow stacking and moving within the facility to flow more efficiently.
Often, bar coding is used for inventory control. Inventory control is important because it provides the ability to locate and track items within a warehouse. This enables items to be quickly and easily found so that orders can be fulfilled. It’s also used to ensure there are sufficient amounts of any given item to meet customer demand while also balancing the expense of storing the items.
Warehousing Facilities
Warehouses and distribution services providing the best protection of goods and products are climate controlled and well ventilated and also have fire suppression systems. They are also equipped with alarms and monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
