The simple rule in traditional supply chains was to store “maximum possible quantity of every product, everywhere, every time”. This rule had to be followed because of lack of information flow and planning mechanisms in the supply chain.

Bill Carston, warehouse selector, Deliver Group Company

Supply chains have evolved and are much different from what they used to be say 2-3 decades back. Modern supply chains equipped with better information & intelligence are able to predict product demand well in advance, plan accordingly and deliver the items close to when they are needed.

You now know the stark difference between a warehouse and a distribution center and how the evolution happened over time. Does this mean that warehouses no longer exist or they don’t serve any purpose? You will be mistaken if you believe that. Warehouses still exist and serve a purpose. A good example would be how inventory is pre-built months in advance to meet the high seasonal demand and is stored in typical warehouses before being sent to a distribution center for customer service. However, the importance of warehouses in supply chain has gone down and the distribution centers have now emerged as the nerve centers of the modern supply chains.

Making your warehouse more efficient starts with having the right layout in place. Your products should be organized according to their popularity. You should automatically collect data on your products as soon as they enter the facility.

Thomas Hunter, shipping & warehouse lead,

Warehouse weighing scales can greatly improve productivity in your facility. For example, by using forklift scales, you can lift, weigh, move and record loads in a single operation. Since they have electronic sensors, they can weigh the loads accurately. The weighing scales are made of durable materials and have no springs or hydraulics, which ensure that they can withstand harsh conditions and jolts without interfering with their accuracy.

You must leverage technology to provide real-time inventory visibility and management. Since real-time inventory tracking considers averages and variations in orders, you will be better equipped to handle any sudden changes in throughput. Maintenance of equipment is essential to ensure its smooth running. You must have a maintenance plan which ensures that the essential machinery is serviced at regular intervals. When the machine is well-serviced, it will its prevent complete failure as you would identify a potential problem during the maintenance checks itself. Another benefit of regular maintenance is increased efficiency as the operations will run smoothly, without downtime caused due to the breakdown of machinery.

There are several people in the business of trading, who do not know or understand the types of cargo damage, how it happens, why it happens, how to prevent cargo damage and what needs to be done when faced with a cargo damage claim.

Michael Vouge, warehouse selector, YourDeliver

The Essential Guide to Cargo Damage is recommended for exporters and importers (whether first time or regular), traders, packing warehouses, shipping lines, transporters, cargo, freight claim handlers and freight forwarders.

Shipping, freight, and logistics are all part of the dynamic global transportation industry.. Whichever mode of transport you use, even the most meticulously planned shipment can go awry either due to natural disasters or man-made errors.. Cargo damage is one such disaster that not only gives rise to product and financial losses, but could also affect the relationship between customers and their service providers.

Cargo damage may happen at any stage in a shipment cycle. It may happen while cargo is in the possession of the seller, while cargo is being packed into a container, while cargo is being loaded onto a truck, cargo is in transit by sea, road or rail, while cargo is being offloaded at delivery, while cargo is in the possession of the buyer. Physical damage is when the cargo is damaged physically or causes physical damage to other assets or property as shown in some examples below.

What we’re looking for here is a logical sequence of operations within the warehouse where each activity is located as close as possible to that which precedes it and similarly, the function that follows it. We are concerned with the controlled and uninterrupted movement of materials, people and traffic with, if possible, no cross-flow clashes or areas of high traffic or work density.

Lin Padmer, warehouse assistant, DeliverTech

Aside from considering customer service aspects, such as lead times and supply chain velocity, you will also need to think about anticipated throughput and more specifically, receiving, storage, and dispatch volumes, as well as the types of processes that will be performed in your warehouse facilities. Your distribution strategy too, will have a bearing on network optimisation.

If you are already familiar with the FAST concept in warehouse design layout (if not, see the sections below), you will know that the objective of FAST is to ensure each activity-locations are close enough together to enable smooth workflows, but not too close to clutter the process and reduce efficiency. You can apply the similar thinking to the layout of your warehouse network, although the emphasis should be more on locating your warehouses close enough to customers to support your service offering, without introducing difficulties on the supply side.