Having one of the world’s largest container ships run aground on one of the world’s major shipping lanes has given us a taste of the perils of modern commerce. The global shipping industry and the internet have enabled just-in-time manufacturing, which limits costs and increases profits by eliminating the need to store additional goods in warehouses. However, the chaos caused by Ever Given in the Suez Canal has led to a shortage of products and the need for many companies to store their goods for a longer period of time until the situation has gradually returned to normal.
This dependency on just-in-time manufacturing was already noted during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, when health professionals could not have the proper protective equipment to care for patients, and once again with this mishap that has affected the global economy. The blockage of the canal has meant that companies have been unable to ship their products and the unblocking of the canal means an increase in traffic, with ships that could not pass through the canal arriving at ports, making it necessary to find solutions for the storage of goods.
Different types of warehouse storage
In addition to seeking alternative solutions for the continuity of the supply chain in situations such as the blockage of the Suez Canal, the storage of merchandise makes it possible to have available stock and ensures a constant flow of sales, by being able to keep the necessary stocks to meet the demand. To achieve this, it is necessary to count on places suitable for the preservation of the products, and therefore there are different types of warehouse storage.
By level of protection
This storage is divided in two categories: covered, to protect goods that can be affected by the weather and which allow lighting, temperature or humidity to be controlled, and uncovered, for non-perishable products that are not sensitive to atmospheric factors.
By type of product
Here we include storage for raw materials, which are the main products for the production process, intermediate or in-process products, which serve as a link within the production chain, finished products, where the company’s final stock is stored, spare parts, which are important products for the after-sales service, accessories, both for the production process and for the after-sales service, and archives, for storing plans, invoices, legal documentation and historical records.
By logistics function
Before a product is ready for sale, there are a certain steps in the logistics chain in which different types of warehouses are used: central, located close to the production plant and responsible for managing the main stock, regional, located at major consumption hubs, transit, an intermediate point between the central and the consumption hub to minimise stock and to provide a better service to the customer, and temporary, established on a limited basis as a service to the end customer.
Cargo storage solutions offered by Noatum Logistics
In response to the storage needs that have arisen, a number of strategies are being designed to absorb the peak traffic following the unblocking of the Suez Canal, such as those of the Port Authority of Barcelona and Valencia. At Noatum Logistics we also want to help by offering warehousing possibilities, both for clients and non-clients.
We provide advice and support for logistics activities through our Contract Logistics service, making use of infrastructures, technology and information systems adapted to new market trends and applications. With this comprehensive management process, we support the client from production to distribution at the point of sale. Discover why you should choose Noatum Logistics Contract Logistics services.