Warehouses can define as the place or building for storing a large number of goods or materials. For understanding the warehouse system, you need to understand the essential aspects such as warehouse functions, existing types, their planning, as well as the location.
Functions and Activities of the Warehouse
The warehouses are centers that are structured and planned to carry out storage functions such as conservation, control, and expedition of goods and products, reception, custody, etc. The warehouse is in charge of regulating the flow of stocks.
The activities and main functions carried out in warehouses:
Stock Receiving
It is the process that consists of entering the goods that the suppliers send. During this process, it should verify that the stock received coincides with the information contained in the delivery notes. It is also necessary to check during receipt of the goods whether the quantities, quality or characteristics correspond to the order.
Storage
It consists of the location of the goods in the ideal areas for it, with the aim of accessing them, and that is easily locatable. For this, fixed means are used, such as industrial mechanical shelves, warehouses, facilities, supports, etc. and internal factors of transport such as forklifts, elevators or conveyor belts.
Conservation and Maintenance
During the time that the stock stored, it must be kept in perfect condition. The conservation of the merchandise implies the application of the current legislation in terms of hygiene and safety in the warehouse, in addition to the special rules on maintenance and care of each product.
Management and Control of Existence
One of the critical function is to determine the amount of each product that must be stored, calculates the amount and frequency with which each order will request to minimise storage costs.
Shipment of Goods
The delivery of goods begins when the customer places the order, starting the process with the selection of merchandise and packaging, as well as the choice of means of transport. Other operations are also carried out in the commercial distribution warehouses, such as merchandise consolidation, shipping division and cargo combination.
Classification of Warehouses
Warehouses can be classified according to different criteria:
According To the Structure or Under Construction
• Open-air warehouses
• Covered warehouses
According To the Activity of the Company
• Commercial company: a warehouse of merchandise and some cases of containers and packaging.
• Industrial company: a warehouse of raw and auxiliary materials, a warehouse of diverse materials and warehouse of finished products.
According To the Logistic Function
• Logistic platforms or central warehouses
• Transit or consolidation warehouses
• Regional or zone stores and stores
According To The Degree Of Automation
• Conventions stores
• Automated warehouses
• Automatic warehouses
According To Ownership Or Ownership
• Warehouses owned
• Warehouses for rent
• Warehouses under leasing
Planning and Location of Warehouses
The companies that are looking for the best UK warehousing and storage to store their inventory, must take the decision whether they will be owned, rented or both.
Once the first step has been completed, the second step is to plan the location, distribution, and design of the spaces, the equipment of the facilities, as well as the mechanical means and human resources for the handling and storage of the goods.
Optimal planning of warehouse operation involves the management of available resources and forecasting requirements for the products when, how much they are and where they are required.
• When: at the time that is needed, or we receive the order from the production center, the distribution center or the point of sale.
• How much: the amount requested by internal or external customers.
• Where: the place of delivery required by customers.
Conclusion
For a company that manufactures the product, the warehouse is a fundamental part of a successful organisation. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account a series of variables when planning the project of a warehouse:
• The manufacturing capacity of the industry.
• The characteristics of the distribution network.
• The cost of land, buildings, facilities, and equipment.
• The product: the types, features, the total amount to be stored.
