When you have a collection of goods that need to be stored before they are sold or distributed, you keep them in a warehouse. But what exactly are warehouse services? Let’s take a look.
What is a warehouse?
At first glance, a warehouse may seem a lot like a storage facility. They are both places where you can store things. The main difference is, however, most people use storage facilities to keep personal belongings, while warehouses are generally used to store products or goods that are to be sold and shipped.
Another difference between storage facilities and warehouses is that you are responsible for your own organization with storage facilities. Warehouses keep all of your goods organized for you and help you to track your items.
When you hire a warehouse service, you know exactly where your items are, when they arrive, how many are there, how long they are there for, and when they have been shipped out.
How do Warehouse Services Work?
When you pay for warehouse services, you pay for more than just storage. Yes, they store your inventory, but they do a lot more than that too. Warehouses also offer inventory counts, inventory management, picking, packing, and assistance with shipping.
Though all warehouses may charge differently, most charge a set rate for the services that the client wishes to use and the amount of warehouse space their inventory takes up.
What are the different types of Warehouses?
There are 3 different types of warehouses: Public, Private, and Bonded. Let’s take a look at the difference between the three:
- Public
Public warehouses are storage spaces that the general public can rent. You might sometimes hear them referred to as “duty-paid” warehouses. These types of warehouses are usually owned by large corporations and rented out by smaller businesses. They must adhere to all federal rules and regulations.
- Private
Private warehouses are owned by large corporations that choose to store, manage, and ship their own inventory and products. These warehouses are purchased and owned by the corporation, and the corporation hires its own employees to manage them.
- Bonded
Bonded warehouses are those that the government licences. These types of warehouses are in control of customs officers and are where imported goods are stored until they are checked, and customs are paid.
When hiring warehouse services, it would be a public warehouse that you are looking for. These warehouses are available for hire and are the ones to seek out if you need help with storage and inventory management.
What are the benefits of using Warehouse Services?
- No need to hire extra staff
Staff can cost a lot of money. Especially when you need to hire staff to pick, pack, organize, and ship your products. But when you invest in warehousing services, this is included in your monthly or yearly fees. You don’t need to hire the staff. Instead, it’s the responsibility of the warehousing service to hire their own.
- Product Support
When you have a lot of orders, you need help to get them organized and shipped. Trying to do it on your own can reduce your delivery times, which can affect your business.
But with warehousing services, you can ensure that your products are well-organized and delivered on time, each and every time. You can also keep track of all of your inventory and delivered products with the help of special warehouse inventory software.
- Minimizing risk
Another considerable benefit of warehousing services is that they can help you minimize risk. When you store your inventory in a warehouse, it is protected under the warehouse’s insurance policy.
A good warehouse will offer protection against all possible incidents like fire, theft, water and storm damage, and so on. So if anything should happen to your inventory, you don’t have to take a financial loss.
What are the 5 best Warehousing Services in Canada?
Established in Toronto in 1999, Links is a full-service warehousing provider that picks, packs, and ships your goods. This company specializes in the warehousing of small and expensive goods and goods that require special handling.
Keele Warehousing and Logistics has been in the industry for almost 20 years and operates out of Brampton, Toronto, and the surrounding area. The company offers warehousing services, as well as distribution and transportation services. They are well-known for their efficiency and low rates.
MTE Logistix is one of the longest-standing warehousing services in Canada, operating since 1925. The service specializes in warehousing, distribution, and transportation. It offers both short and long-term warehousing options and has options for heated or refrigerated storage.
Some warehousing companies specialize in storing different types of products, and Auto Warehousing Company is one of those.
Specializing in auto warehousing for over 50 years, this company offers warehousing services and inspections, repairs, and lease vehicle reconditioning on all inventory that they store. Because it’s the automotive industry, all of their services are quick and expedited.
JD Smith is one of Canada’s most well-known warehousing companies, servicing large corporations like Shoppers, Costco, Sobeys, and more. They specialize in food-grade warehousing and offer an excellent transportation program to all of their clients.
Of course, these are just a few of the many excellent warehousing companies in Canada. If you’re looking for warehousing, take your time, do your research, and make sure the company you hire offers all of the services you need. If not, there will be another company out there that will.
