Warehousing and Distribution Strategy

Warehousing and distribution strategy is an increasingly critical aspect of business.Whether you’re in retail, wholesale, or  manufacturing, storage and space are among the more significant operational considerations you’ll have to deal with.

For small start-up companies looking to establish a presence in a strategic market or large enterprises looking to seize an opportunity in new areas, and any others in between, the question often arises . . I am running out of space; what are my options?

Firstly, let’s look at what you should consider regarding warehousing and storage for your business:

1. Cost – Some of the significant costs in terms of warehouse and storage needs for business include compliance, personnel, land and operations. You may have thought of buying or leasing a warehouse at a premium sold by the square foot, but this can be a lot more expensive than outsourcing to a company specialising in warehousing.
2. Legal compliance for storage and warehousing needs – Insurance and health and safety regulations are just some of the finer points you’ll need to consider if you’re thinking about managing your own warehouse. You will need to take into account the initial costs, ongoing management, training, and damage limitation if necessary. These are vital factors that could carry fines and other penalties. Or you could outsource to a business whose sole purpose is to manage storage and logistics – a very pain-free option.
3. Staff for your warehousing and logistics – Managing your own storage space means that you will need a workforce to support it. From health and safety, security, logistics, vehicles and equipment, you will need someone to ensure that everything is running smoothly. Recruiting into the logistics industry is notoriously difficult at the moment.

So now let’s look at the benefits of outsourcing your logistics to a business you can trust:

1. More time to focus on your business – You’ve built your brand. You are very proud of it and continuously want to grow, so dedicating your warehouse and logistics needs to the experts gives you the time to work on growing your business. It enables you to be proactive and move your business to the next level by focusing on what you do best.
2. Being filled with confidence and reassurance – The service you deliver to your customers is of paramount importance. You need to make sure their experience with you is a seamless one from start to finish, not only to increase the likelihood of future sales but also to protect and enhance the reputation of your business. Using a Third-Party Logistics partner (3PL) can help you achieve this and ensure the delivery process is an efficient one. Masters Logistical are experts in 3PL warehouse and distribution; we know that paying attention to the small details can be as important as focusing on the larger ones.
3. Utilising a more robust resource network – Using a third-party logistics provider enables you to take advantage of the network of carriers they’ve built-up over the years. Here at Masters, not only are we a shareholder with Palletline, but we have a loyal team of employed drivers who have helped us to build our reliable reputation. So, we have no difficulty finding a transport solution for your goods, allowing you to rest assured that your customers will receive their products on time and in good condition.
4. Profit from professional supply chain expertise – Outsourcing your logistics allows your company to leverage supply chain expertise and gives you confidence that skilled professionals are handling your needs. We are a knowledgeable source of industry best practices, keeping up to date with the latest advancements and developments, helping to keep your business’ fulfilment process as efficient as possible.
5. Flexibility – A key benefit of outsourced warehousing can be flexibility on terms. If your business is seasonal or demand fluctuates for other reasons, there’s no point paying for aisles of empty racking or for keeping masses of slow-moving stock on shelves.

By outsourcing your warehousing requirements to a flexible supplier, you’ll have access to the pallet warehousing and other storage, as well as the accompanying services and equipment you require when you need, it for as long as you need it.