Chicago's Leader in Warehousing and Distribution, Presents its Blog:

Neill Cartage and Warehouse is Chicago's premier full service logistics, warehousing, and distribution company.  Servicing the Midwest since 1946. 

Order fulfillment is the process of fulfilling an order, and can include everything from delivery to distribution. It’s an act that major companies rely on third party logistics services in order to save money, time, and increase their business efficiency.

Supply and demand can be a cruel game for business owners. It is part of the made-to-stock logistics chain that demands a forecast of demand be made to determine what the supply should be. If a forecast of paper demand is high, then the supply should also be high so that there is enough of the paper to allow everyone to buy it. It’s a balancing act that is hard to manage, but can be done properly through outsourcing the a third party logistics service that has experience.

Order processing is sometimes referenced as broad type of order fulfillment as well. Order processing doesn’t just cover finding products in a warehouse and shipping them out; it also includes stocking the warehouse and knowing where inventory is at all times. It also includes the ability to forecast need of further inventory in the future, so you'll always be ready for future orders.

Click Here for:

Two Months of FREE storage!

Neill Cartage and Warehouse is Chicago's premier full service logistics, warehousing, and distribution company.  Servicing the Midwest since 1946. 

If you are someone who has far too much inventory to store at your place of business, then it’s time for you to start thinking about which Chicago Warehouse you would like to use. Choosing a warehouse to suit your needs is not an easy task; however, with the sufficient amount of research and consideration, you can find one that will be the right match for your needs. You simply have to look online for warehouses that have an online presence if you would like to expedite this process.

You should make sure that you’ve found a warehouse that has a security system already implemented so that you won’t have to worry about the security of your goods while they’re there.

You’ll also want to try to find a Chicago warehouse that will provide some additional services beyond simply providing a place for your goods. For instance, some warehouses will assemble your goods once they have been delivered. Other warehouses can manage your shipping orders so that it’s easy for you to have goods delivered to the warehouse rather than to your store.

Once you have found the right warehouse, you’ll never again have to worry about whether or not you’ll be able to handle a variety of inventory issues. You could even find a warehouse that is willing to store your belongings for a short amount of time. Don’t assume that you’re going to have to sign some kind of contract with a warehouse if it would be more beneficial for you to simply make use of these services on a short-term basis.

Neill Cartage and Warehouse is Chicago's premier full service logistics, warehousing, and distribution company.  Servicing the Midwest since 1946. 

Click Here for: Two Months Free Storage!

Many companies store their products on pallets in warehouses. There are a number of pallet storage methods that allow the warehouses to store pallets more efficiently. Here are a number of the pallet storage systems that are commonly used.

• Block Stacking
• Stacking Frames
• Single-Deep Pallet Rack
• Double Deep Rack
• Drive-In Rack
• Pallet Flow Rack

Block Stacking

Block stacking refers to unit loads stacked on top of each other and stored on the warehouse floor in lanes or blocks. The pallets are stacked to a specific height based on a number of criteria such as pallet condition, weight of the load, height clearance and the capability of the warehouse forklifts.

The pallets are retrieved from the block in a last in, first out (LIFO) manner. This does not allow for removing stock based on date basis or FIFO. Removal of stock can cause honeycombing to occur where empty spaces occur that cannot be filled until the whole lane is empty. This method is cheap to implement as it involves no racking and can be operated in any warehouse with open floor space.

Stacking Frames

Pallet stacking frames are made up from decks and posts that can be erected and moved if necessary. The stacking frame allows pallets to be stored several high and are particularly useful when the pallets to be stored are not stackable.

Many companies will use stacking frames in the warehouse when they need temporary racking during period busy periods. With stacking frames the issue of honeycombing exists similar to block stocking.

Single-Deep Pallet Rack

Single-deep pallet racking provides access to each pallet stored in the rack. This gets around the honeycombing issues of stacking frames and block stacking. When a pallet is removed the space is immediately available for a new pallet to be placed in that space. This type of racking can be configured in any number of ways with various heights. Most warehouses today have this type of racking in use. The major disadvantage is that the racks require significant floor space for suitable aisles.

Double-Deep Pallet Rack

The double-deep pallet rack is a variant on the single-deep rack that incorporates two single racks that are placed together. This reduces the number of aisles required but this type of racking is susceptible to honeycombing, so may not be as efficient as single-deep racking. In addition a double-reach forklift is required to place and remove pallets from the racking.

Drive-In Rack

Drive-In racks provide five to ten pallet load spaces similar to the double-deep racking. The drive-in lanes provide access for the forklift to place and remove stock. However the forklift has a limited space to maneuver and this increases the time required to place and remove pallets. The drive-in rack is similar to block stacking as the LIFO principle is used for pallet retrieval.

Pallet Flow Rack

The pallet flow rack operates whereby the load is moved from one end of the rack on a conveyor that allows the pallets to be removed in a FIFO manner. Once a pallet is removed the next pallet moves into the position of the pallet that was removed. This racking solution is suitable for warehouses that have a high throughput, but is an expensive option.

Click Here for:

Two Months Free Storage!