Whether you are a distributor or a manufacturer, stock happens to be the most important aspect of the trading business that you are in. To secure a warehouse premises that is just perfect for your needs there are things you must put into perspective first. Just because a warehouse is spacious enough does not usually mean that it is what your company needs. There are so many other factors that should be considered before the final decision is made.
What commodity specific facilities does it have?
Products are not the same. If you are in the food industry, then you must be extra careful with the warehouse you choose because food items are usually perishable and they can go bad without the best facilities in place. If your products require frozen, refrigerated and conditioned storage, then this is what you need to make sure the warehouse has for you. Consider your products and the perfect storage conditions for them and then choose a warehouse that will not disappoint you at the end of the day.
Apart from storage, what other services can I enjoy?
Warehouses are so competent today that they offer much more than just storage to make the process even more convenient for you the client. Apart from co-packing, and trans-loading, you will actually find warehouses that offer distribution and fulfillment services. With such a warehouse, you will have peace of mind with things such as orders because you simply need to instruct and guide distribution even without the need to be present. Some make it even easier by devising supply chain proposal that can be customized to match your needs to get the perfect solution for your goods.
How sizeable is the warehouse and its impact?
The size of the warehouse can determine the storage options that you have. Remember that most warehouses stack up products in metal racks from the floor to the ceiling to save space and this might not always be a good option depending on the products you have. Organizing the inventory on the floor could be a more suitable option, although this means taking up more space and could limit the amount of stock you can have stored in one go. Also important to remember when looking at the size is that you can find warehouses that are sizeable enough for your company needs only, but others are too large that the empty space could end up being shared by other customers. Consider if this is something you would be okay with or you would rather pay even for the empty space when you choose a warehouse that's bigger than your needs.
When looking at the best warehouse for your needs, always think long term, so that you do not end up choosing one you are likely to outgrow too quickly. Think about potential expansion of the warehouse if you intend to hire, storage for a considerable length of time, so you can be sure you are covered.
The best city right now for business-to-business warehousing and distribution in North America is St. Louis Missouri.
St. Louis offers location, stable labor force, cost effective real
estate and warehouse facilities and a stable, conservative economy
without the peaks and valleys found in many other cities. Midwest contract warehousing might be all your company needs.
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