Industrial storage

What is industrial storage?

Industrial storage is a logistical solution whose purpose is to have access to goods originating from industrial companies. There are two types of warehouses: central warehouses and secondary warehouses.

Industrial products stem from industrial processes, regardless of what type, and are stored in warehouses before being shipped to secondary regional or local warehouses. The latter will then distribute the goods to the appropriate distribution centers. They will then be loaded and dispatched to the person who ordered them.

An ergonomic central warehouse is capable of fulfilling the following tasks:

• Receiving products stemming from the industrial activity attributed to the company owning the warehouse;

• Operating quality checks;

• Checking and listing stored products;

• Storing goods pragmatically;

• Preparing the orders aimed for delivery to regional or local warehouses, and/or to customers;

• Dispatching orders within the set deadlines.

For an industrial warehouse to be efficient, the industrial company must study its location carefully, and take supply sources into consideration.

• If the products’ supply source is unique (dispatch of food products elaborated in a neighboring factory), the central warehouse is integrated to it or built nearby.

• In the case of more diversified products, the central warehouse is installed near a strategic road or sea hub, taking the geographical location of all supply sources into account.

Specificities of industrial storage

The two functions of a central warehouse are packaging and goods preparation, to ensure their journey through to the next stage - distribution - runs smoothly. For the product, transport to another regional or local distribution center is less risky than transport from the production site. The location of these regional and local centers is less important than that of the main warehouse.

• The priority for industrial companies and logisticians is to find sites near main road, rail or sea hubs - depending on the business in question.

• Industrial warehouses are most often located in large peri-urban areas.

• Receiving products stemming from industrial activity starts with analyzing the quality of the products received in the warehouse.

• The central warehouse needs to be able to receive, prepare and store all industrial products, regardless of their size or shape.

• It requires docks and handling devices, a reception area and an order preparation zone.

The types of warehouses:

• Bare warehouses, without any storage racks. The goods come in and out quickly, without any special processing.

• Cooling warehouses. They are fitted with storage cells, filled with products requiring the following temperatures: fresh produce kept between 0 and 4°C or between 4 and 8°C, or frozen produce kept between -18 and -25°C.

• Warehouses dedicated to the storage of dangerous materials are closely watched, and have special systems for fighting against fires, explosions, run-offs, etc.

• Flat-bottomed silos are a special category of silos specially made for cereals.

• Mechanized warehouses: there is practically no work done by humans there. Robots run packaging and order preparation operations; AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) take care of transporting the goods.

• Beacons, cameras and trackers are there to control the withdrawal and entrance of goods through doors located to the side of the loading or unloading docks.

Examples and practical applications

The different industrial warehouse classes

Class A warehouses

• Their ceilings rise over 9.30 meters high, offering a handling area of more than 35 meters. Floor resistance is at least 5 tons per m².

• Warehousing dock measuring 1,000 m².

Class B warehouses

• Ceiling height rising over 7.50 meters, handling area of more than 32 meters, and floor resistance of at least 3 tons per m².

• Warehousing dock measuring 1,500 m².

Class C warehouses

• Refrigerated delivery service or warehouse.