When it comes to warehouses, people often think of dark, cold, and dusty places. However, modern warehouses are typically bright, clean, and well-maintained facilities that play a crucial role in keeping goods safe, meeting urgent demand, and supporting the economy. Here is a closer look at four types of warehouses and their functions.
Cold storage warehouses
Cold storage warehouses are designed to keep temperature-sensitive and perishable goods at a specific temperature. These facilities enable items like cosmetics, artwork, medicines, plants, and food to stay fresh and maintain their quality and integrity. Some of the items that require cold storage include aircraft components, hides and textiles, disinfectants and reagents, candles, artwork and books, medical supplies, perishable nutrient products, and various types of food. Cold storage warehouses are used by a wide range of industries, including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, frozen food producers, exporters and importers, food service companies, supermarkets, and food outlets and restaurants. There are also climate-controlled warehouses where humidity and temperature are regulated using systems of air conditioning, ventilation, and heating. These facilities are commonly used to store items like food, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.
Smart Warehouses
Smart warehouses use advanced technologies and automation systems to improve efficiency and speed up shipping. These facilities utilize tools like collaborative robots, the internet of things, automated guided vehicles, drones, warehouse management systems, predictive analysis and business intelligence, electronic data interchange, radiofrequency identification, collaborative storage and retrieval systems, and inventory control platforms. Smart warehouses can benefit from reduced errors, better space utilization, improved tracking of inventory and assets, and lower operational costs.
On-demand storage
On-demand storage facilities offer excess warehouse space to businesses that need it on a pay-per-use basis. These facilities are useful for companies that experience seasonal or temporary spikes in sales and need extra space to store their products. On-demand storage is an affordable alternative to building an in-house facility, which can be expensive due to start-up costs and variable expenses such as packaging supplies, warehouse equipment, and labour. There are several options for on-demand storage, including third-party fulfilment companies, contract logistics providers, and in-house distribution capabilities.
Distribution centres
Distribution centres are logistics facilities that hold items for a short period of time before distributing them to their final destination. These facilities often provide additional services like order fulfilment, cross-docking, packaging, and product mixing. Distribution centres may also use mobile data collection, automation, and other smart technology solutions to streamline their operations. In addition to standard best practices like quality control, space optimization, and inventory management, distribution centres often incorporate fulfilment processes such as exchange workflows, product returns, and order processing.
There are several other types of warehouses, including cooperative, consolidated, bonded, and pick, pack, and ship warehouses. Each type serves a specific purpose and plays a vital role in the global supply chain. Whether you need a cold storage facility to keep perishable goods fresh, an on-demand warehouse for seasonal storage needs, a smart warehouse to improve efficiency, or a distribution centre to fulfil orders, there is a warehouse solution that can meet your needs, and the TFG Global team can help assist you with your warehousing needs. Contact us today to discuss options.
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