Warehousing is not only a huge and critical component of the world’s supply chain but also a massive industry in itself. Millions of people worldwide are employed in various capacities in warehouses globally. The enduring utility of warehouses, even during recessions and other adverse global periods, means that this is an industry that is almost always lucrative for skilled workers looking for employment. Here are some key details about the warehousing sector:

Services in the warehousing sector
Warehousing companies offer a whole host of services for their clients. Here are some such essential services offered by them:

Picking and packing
Efficient pick and pack services are a crucial aspect of supply chain management. They help reduce the time it takes for goods to move from the point of manufacture to inventory, shipping, and, ultimately, the final destination. Generally, picking and packing revolves around, but is not limited to, the retail distribution of goods. Picking and packing involve:

• Processing small, medium, and large quantities of goods before disassembling them.
• Picking relevant goods for specific destinations.
• Repackaging them with invoices included and shipping labels affixed.

To speed up the process, many warehousing companies automate it using Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) software.

Order processing
This service involves performing certain efficient supply chain tasks so that customer orders are picked up and delivered as quickly as possible. When a customer hits the “buy” button, the warehousing company receives an electronic copy of the transaction. This is when the workers in the order processing department begin the pick-and-pack procedure. The final phase of order processing involves handing goods to a carrier for transportation to the final customer. Order fulfillment marks the final step of order processing.

Cross-docking
This is the practice in which cargo from an incoming vehicle is loaded directly into an outbound mode of transportation. Warehousing companies use cross-docking to make the process of shifting goods along the supply chain more efficient. For warehousing companies, some of the key benefits of training their staff for high-efficiency cross docking are reduced need for warehousing space, reduced labor costs, and reduced lead time from order to final customer. 

The most common type of cross-docking is when companies receive goods from multiple suppliers, repack those products, and then efficiently load them onto another truck for shipment to the final customer. To achieve high-efficiency cross-docking, staff training is essential, which involves careful and methodical handling of goods to avoid any damage to the products.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the services a warehousing company offers. Some others include sub-assembly, site location tasks, distribution center management, vendor-managed inventory, shipping (in many cases), returns processing, assembling and kitting, and inventory management.

Jobs in the warehousing sector
With so many services to provide, the warehousing industry needs the human resources to carry out specific roles and tasks to keep the global supply chain ticking along smoothly. Considering that, here are some of the jobs skilled employment-seekers can find in this sector:

Stocking associate
These workers have the role of obtaining shipments at a store and verifying their accuracy. In that sense, these workers tend to use their analytical abilities just as much as their physical ones. Stocking associates are also needed to stock goods or inventory supplies within a warehouse or on the sales floor of a retail facility. Primarily, a stocking associate’s jobs include:

• Maintaining store inventory.
• Ordering replacement products.
• Generating price labels.
• Returning defective materials if necessary.
• Preparing multiple products for shipment.

Material handler
These workers are highly mobile and “on the ground” compared to management-level and associate-level employees. Handlers are tasked with moving raw materials and pallets to production lines. Additionally, they also move finished goods to shipping containers (for imports or exports) or warehouses. Apart from that, material handlers also operate load-filling machines, packing machines, forklifts, and other motorized machines within a storage facility like a warehouse.

Warehouse clerk
These employees have incredibly dynamic jobs in which their roles and tasks change almost on a daily basis depending on the warehousing company’s needs. In that sense, these workers are jack-of-all-trades. Warehouse clerks are occasionally called warehouse associates or workers. At times, clerks may be tasked with loading and unloading trucks to ensure the warehouse has all the essential equipment to assist the receiver with shipments that come in. This job post pays very well and also bestows a wide quality of experience on the people who do the tasks.

Forklift operator
As warehouses become vertically formidable to store more goods than ever, the role of forklift operators becomes paramount. These workers are experts in handling large machines to move goods from one spot to another in massive warehouses. As a result, the work of a forklift operator is essential to the supply chain.