Businesses that move a lot of product or freight through their operation depend on warehousing to ensure that they have enough material on hand for production and are building stock to supply the demand for the product to customers. Effective warehousing depends on some tight controls to maintain the proper balance of the product through the operation. 

Onsite Warehousing

If the company is large enough, having warehousing on site is an excellent way to manage everything coming and going from the business. It is not always easy because it can require a significant amount of space, but local warehousing does allow you to keep very tight controls on your inventory.

Small companies can employ this same tactic but in smaller quantities and in a smaller space. In some cases, a small company may not have the budget to hold a lot of stock, but even a small scale warehousing program can help your company get a good handle on inventory and supply control, helping improve the efficiency of production and shipping.

Off-Site Warehousing

Large companies that move a lot of freight may need to have some warehousing options away from the plant so that they can drop the product from one shipper and have another pick it up. Truck shippers often work with warehouses to drop loads and store them until another truck picks them up. This is also common for goods switching from a contract shipper to local mail delivery or couriers that will deliver the goods to the final destination. 

Often, a company will have contracts with these warehouse storage companies that provide a place for the goods. In some cases, storing goods in warehouses around the country can be smart and speed up the shipping process to customers closer to the warehouse. 

Cross Dock Operations

For companies that provide shipping and storage for multiple companies and a lot of goods, cross-docking is very common. Cross-docking involves moving freight into the warehouse from one truck and moving them across the warehouse to a truck waiting on the shipping dock. 

The goods come off one truck, move across the dock, and go out on another truck in a matter of hours. When a delivery needs expediting, the cross-dock movement can happen so quickly that the delay between receiving and shipping can be extremely short. 

Warehousing operations that provide cross-docking are typically large storage and shipping facilities with the resources to deal with loads of goods immediately. Often they have trucking companies ready to take the loads even before the inbound truck arrives at the warehouse. 

If you are interested in warehousing options for your business, be sure to contact a company near you.