General storage is just what it sounds like: storing stock in a warehouse, often in pallet loads, until it is needed elsewhere. Pick and pack is one type of service a logistics company provides (click here) to get an order ready for shipment.
General Storage
When goods are received by a warehouse, they may go straight to pick and pack if they are needed immediately, or they may be stored in the warehouse until they are needed.
Stored stock is organised in the warehouse so that it can be located and accessed quickly, safely and easily. Depending on the nature of the stock, this could be as simple as storing goods of the same type in the same place, or it might be as intricate as customised racking equipment and barcoding to find the right SKU out of 100 similar ones at a moment’s notice. A proper warehouse management software system is invaluable in storing goods efficiently.
Case Picking
Case picking is a kind of mid-point between the two processes, where large cartons or boxes of the goods in question are palletised and stored for picking and packing (below).
Pick and Pack
When goods are ready to be processed and broken down into individual orders, they are sent to ‘pick and pack’. Once an order is received from a customer, large packs or pallets of the relevant goods are disassembled, and the pieces necessary to fulfil any specific orders are collected. The individual orders are repackaged for shipping, usually with a shipping label and invoice included.
Again, a warehouse management system is generally used to make the pick and pack process fast and efficient, in order to keep costs down for all parties involved. The system identifies the locations of all the goods needed for the order, and will often plan the picker’s route between these locations, minimising distance and time.
Using a 3PL or third party logistics company to provide warehousing and pick and pack services offers important advantages to a business. First, the business owner or manager can focus on other aspects of their work, because they don’t have to handle all the minutiae of their inventory and fulfilment. Second, they get the advantage of a dedicated, experienced and professional warehousing and distribution company. A logistics partner generally provides a higher level of service at a lower price than an in-house warehousing solution.
Contact DMG Freight Services for your free quote on pick and pack service or general pallet storage on 01279 452 468
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