What to Look for When Choosing a Warehouse Provider

Investing in warehouse space sounds simple to start with: you need space, someone else has it, now find the right price, right? Well maybe to a degree, but there’s a lot to consider if you want to find the right storage solution for you, your business and your products. Are they client dedicated or multi user? This consideration will usually be made for you simply according to the size of storage you are requiring. However, if you have a moderate volume of products the question does arise – do you go for a client dedicated warehouse or a multi user? Client dedicated, while obviously more expensive, means that your warehouse is completely your own and can often be customised for your individual requirements, often a huge bonus if you anticipate growth and require a more fluid model for storage. The downfall can often mean higher costs, however, and there is also the potential of limiting your access to share transportation. Are they industry/product dedicated? Particularly important for food products, asking if your warehousing option is dedicated to particular foods/industries is important. Some warehouses are climate controlled, making them more appropriate for food and beverages that require cooler storage. Similarly, warehouses dedicated to FMCG products take into consideration ease and frequency of access to provide the most convenient solution. Knowing the contents of shared warehousing is vital, for example making sure your food products aren’t stored near potentially toxic construction materials can help avoid breach of safety standards.  What are their access and reporting options? If you are taking advantage of the flexibility of multi user warehousing, always ask what their access and reporting options are. Some warehouses simply provide access codes or keys to their clients, with some cameras as the extent of security. Others, like Silk Logistics, provide full service warehousing options complete with onsite staff, inventory, online visibility and traceability for added security.  Do they provide wharf cartage? This is particularly relevant if your product is shipped into wharfs, requiring transport from drop off to the warehouse. While it naturally comes with a cost, the payoff of having wharf cartage complete convenience in knowing your logistics contractor is responsible for pick up, transport and storage, making communication and stock tracking and management much easier. If you’re looking for some warehousing options and want answers to some of these questions visit the Silk Logistics warehousing page for some of the logistic industry’s leading warehouse services. BACK TO NEWS