Winter is always coming.
While you might not be battling an army of zombie warriors, the seasonal surge in orders and fulfillment poised to engulf your 3PL warehouse can feel like a never-ending battle. Preparing for this fulfillment onslaught should be the goal for any efficient 3PL, so you can be ready for the inevitable increase in all facets of your business. By efficiently handling the high volumes of orders that flow through your warehouse during peak season, you’ll enjoy the spoils of higher production, correct shipments and overall customer/client satisfaction.
To enhance the preparation, you need to analyze each segment of your process and pick those that seem to be the biggest torment.
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Tags: warehouse flow, Warehouse Management, 3PL, productivity, warehouse, warehouse productivity, Third Party Logistics, performance improvement
Posted in Order Picking & Fulfillment|
Choosing guard rail can be confusing unless you understand clearly what kinds of conditions you are guarding against and what assets you are protecting.
Whether it be asset protection from industrial vehicle usage or fall protection for workers, there is a guard rail that can fit each need. Our new Guard Rail Guide offers you insights on the various options that we offer, as well as handy comparisons of rigid and flexible systems. We also help you understand how guard rail impact ratings are calculated and used, so you have the knowledge to make the right selection for your facility.
Tags: warehousing, Material Handling, Safety & Ergonomics
Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|
E-commerce customers are increasingly comfortable with a buying experience that includes easy, free and frequent returns. Returns—and the issues involved with them—are nothing new for retail and e-commerce distribution, but the “new normal” of frequent returns offers 3PLs that can leverage their reverse logistics capacity a significant competitive advantage over competitors who can’t adapt to the new reality.
While some companies consider reverse logistics a necessary evil, those with well-managed returns programs can increase overall efficiency and profitability while satisfying customers and increasing loyalty. They find ways to resell more returned products, and are able to dispose of or restock what they can’t resell more efficiently and with less environmental impact.
What are some ways to increase your returns capacity?
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Tags: logistics, warehouse, inventory control, warehouse productivity, Third Party Logistics, inventory, Warehouse Management, warehousing, 3PL
Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|
Adjustable workstations make operations like packing, picking, assembly and inspection safer, more comfortable and more productive because they easily let operators work in the ergonomic “golden zone” suitable for their own needs – the same station can be used by someone 6’4″ as someone 5/2″ on multiple shifts, or if the load or work varies in height, like multiple sized boxes or various motors that may be different sizes. These workbenches are adjustable, usually by crank or by powered switch or pushbutton. What might suit you best?
That said, having to utilize a crank to adjust the height is inherently counter to the fundamentals of ergonomics, and it’s slow. To combat this, consider electric adjustable workstations, which provide multiple advantages over their cranking counterparts.
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Tags: ergonomics, plant safety, forklift safety, Safety & Ergonomics, Warehouse Management, warehousing, warehouse, workstations
Posted in Storage, Organization & Workstations|
It’s a good time to be in the third party logistics business. 3PLs are in demand with no end in sight as the warehousing industry copes with higher volumes, increasing e-commerce demands and challenging customer expectations.
This gives 3PL operators with a unique opportunity to build lasting relationships with key customers, suppliers, and retailers of their choice. However, this can also lead to an increased demand for quality service from warehouses and fulfillment centers. In order for 3PLs to succeed in this new environment, they must be ready to face increasing levels of customer and prospect expectations.
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Tags: logistics, Supply Chain, distribution center, warehouse, Third Party Logistics, ecommerce, Warehouse Management, warehousing, Material Handling, 3PL
Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|
As your 3PL grows and attracts more clients, products, and infrastructure, your product movement and storage capacity won’t be able to keep up with the increased volume. Growth is a great problem to have, but it’s still a problem.
Intelligent warehouse automation is an effective way to create better flow, enhance efficiency, ramp up throughput, reduce errors and improve your processes. Â Introducing automated systems into your current warehouse environment can produce drastic reductions in time spent on certain day-to-day activities.
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Tags: warehouse, Third Party Logistics, warehouse flow, warehouse technology, Conveyor, Automation, 3PL, logistics, storage
Posted in Automation, Labor & Efficiency|
ISNetworld is a global resource for connecting corporations with safe, reliable contractors/suppliers from all types of industries. ISN collects self-reported safety, procurement, sustainability, quality and regulatory information from contractors and suppliers, verifies its accuracy, and then reports the results in an easy-to-follow format. This allows corporations to select companies that best meet internal and governmental requirements, while providing contractors/suppliers the opportunity to centralize their conformance information, saving time and gaining presence in the marketplace.
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Tags: plant safety, forklift safety, worker safety, facility safety, safety issues, warehousing, Material Handling, warehouse safety, warehouse
Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|
According to the American Ladder Institute (ALI), every year more than 300 fatalities in ladder-related accidents. Thousands more suffer disabling injuries. That’s why the ALI has declared March National Ladder Safety Month – the organization wants to raise awareness of ladder safety. As you plan ahead for the coming month, consider using March as a time to emphasize ladder safety among your workers.
Ladder-related citations are frequently among the top 10 most frequently cited safety violations, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), currently ranking number 7 overall.  Make sure you’ve created a safe work environment in your facility for ladder safety.
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Tags: warehouse, plant safety, worker safety, safety training, facility safety, safety issues, warehouse accidents
Posted in Safety & Ergonomics|
The biggest measure of success for a 3PL company – really, for any business – is the ability to retain existing customers while attracting new clients. We all know it’s harder to attract new customers than it is to keep existing clients from being enticed to try another 3PL competitor, so it’s smart to strive for ways to provide more value. By targeting increased attention to providing on-time information, improving customer service, and utilizing user-friendly technology, your 3PL can help prevent existing customers from moving towards the competition.
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Tags: warehousing, 3PL, customer service, warehouse, Third Party Logistics, Retention, ecommerce
Posted in Warehousing & Distribution|
In a recent report of current industrial and logistics trends released by the CBRE, the prevailing theme among U.S. Tenants and Landlords is that of shrinking available space. While this should come as no surprise to those within the logistics community, the rate at which warehouse vacancy is dwindling is far outpacing the increase in new construction (new supply trails leasing demand by 1.5 to 1). This puts 3PLs in a predicament, but also provides opportunities for those who can maximize their available footprint.
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Tags: storage space, Third Party Logistics, warehouse space savings, Warehouse Management, 3p, logistics, Racks, warehouse storage, storage, mezzanine, warehouse
Posted in Space Optimization & Planning|
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