Singapore’s status as a hub for international trade has been cemented by its advantageous location in Southeast Asia. Companies of all sizes effectively import, sell, and distribute goods because of Singapore’s top-notch infrastructure and connectivity. It’s no wonder why storage and warehousing solutions command such high attention in this thriving trading environment.
The majority of businesses out there, tend to use the words “Warehousing” and “Storage” synonymously. But while both can mean the care and protection of goods, there are differences between warehousing and storage. Understanding these differences is crucial for selecting the most suitable option for your specific needs.
Let’s delve deeper and unpack the nitty-gritty of warehousing and storage in Singapore.
Warehousing: The Fulfilment Centre of Your Supply Chain
Warehousing and its Role in the Supply Chain
Warehousing forms a part of the core supply chain and lies like a hub centre for the store, management, and distribution of goods. Not merely storage spaces, warehouses are dynamic centres that support the run of inventory flow smoothly.
Here’s a closer look at the core activities that take place within warehouse storage in Singapore:
Receiving and Storing Goods: The incoming products are received and thoroughly checked, thereafter recorded into a warehouse management system (WMS) in a very systematic way. This allows for proper capturing of stock and storage in the warehouse.
Inventory Management: The warehouse has very good management of inventory. This means that the level of inventory in the warehouse is at an optimum level at all times. This is being done by constant checks of stocks, demand prediction, and strategies for the prevention of stockouts and overstocking.
Order Processing: Picking, Packing, and Shipping: Every order from a customer activates the warehouse. The WMS will instruct pickers directly where the ordered item is located. After this process, packing of the products follows, then shipping to the customer. Warehouses ensure vital functions such as timely and accurate order filling.
Value-Added Services Offered by Singapore Warehouses
Most of the warehouses in Singapore offer, besides providing the storage area, an opportunity for value-added services that will help make your operations even better. Some of them will be indispensable for those companies focused on supply chain optimization, while others want to bring their customer satisfaction to the highest level.
The list of the most common value-added services for warehouses in Singapore is as follows:
Custom Packaging and Labelling: Customize the lab packaging of products and labelling as and when the requirement arises. This will be particularly beneficial for those in e-commerce business to make their brand presence effective.
Kitting and Assembly: Warehousing facilities can pre-assemble components or assemble product kits to facilitate quick delivery completion and hence save time and resources for your business.
Quality Control: Warehouses will define the main quality checks of incoming and outgoing goods for their compliance with your quality standards.
Choosing the Right Warehouse in Singapore
Here is a list of key aspects in choosing the right warehouse services in Singapore:
Location: Proximity’s location concerning target markets, transportation links in terms of seaports and airports, and location concerning the suppliers will affect the delivery lead times and costs greatly.
Size and Layout: It should befit your storage needs from now on into the future. This may, therefore, include issues like pallet racking capacity, clear floor space, and the possibility of carrying special equipment should the need arise.
Specialization: Some warehouses specialize in handling definite types of goods, such as temperature-controlled storage for perishable items or storage of dangerous materials. Choose a warehouse that aligns with your specific product requirements.
Storage: Keeping Your Goods Safe and Secure
Types of Storage Facilities
Warehousing zeroes in on functions related to the movement and management of goods, while storage focuses on safekeeping. They offer a secure space to keep inventory for short or long terms. Some of the types of storage facilities in Singapore can give an idea of what is available:
Self-Storage Units: It refers to a facility offering individual storage units of different sizes to a customer on rent, as per his requirements. They are usually open all the time, i.e., 24/7, and thus are very convenient for those customers who are time-bound and ideal for businesses whose inventory may lie relatively static or those needing only infrequent access to their goods.
Here are some advantages of utilizing self-storage units:
- Cost-effective
- Scalability
- Convenience
- Self-management
Containerised Storage: It offers the latest secure shipping containers ideal for use in storing various commodities. They are portable and impervious to weather, thus most ideal for businesses whose storage changes with time or needs frequent movement of commodities.
Here’s when containerised storage might be the best choice for your business:
- Large shipments
- Oversized equipment
- Seasonal inventory
Cold Storage: For businesses dealing with items such as food, pharmaceuticals, or chemicals, essentially required is the proper cold storage that will regulate the temperatures. A facility with the right relative humidity to safeguard your products.
Here are some of the benefits of using cold storage:
- Preserves freshness
- Maintains quality
- Compliance with regulations
Choosing the Right Storage Facility
This really important importance of business or any other storage needs, right from this decision to choose the perfect facility to make it easy. Below are the most important aspects:
Security: Find out if the units have security systems such as CCTV, access control, and perimeter fencing on a 24/7 basis.
Cost: Compare quotes from several facilities to find one that meets your budget and requirements.
Accessibility: Choose a facility with convenient operating hours and easy access for pick-ups and drop-offs.
Specific Requirements: Does your business require any special storage conditions? Ensure the storage facility you choose will cater to such needs.
Key Differences Between Warehousing and Storage
Focus:
Warehousing focuses on effectively moving goods along the supply chain from receipt to dispatch, including the function of receiving, storage, picking, packing, and dispatch. On the other hand, storage focuses on safeguarding stocks either for a long period or a short duration.
Services Offered:
Generally, warehouse storage in Singapore comes with various services offered, not only for storage. Services continue from things like managing inventory and order fulfilment up to value-adding services to clients, such as labelling and kitting. Basic storage facilities generally offer basic storage space with minimal to no other services offered.
Cost:
Generally, warehousing costs more than storage. However, it is quite cost-effective, given that it provides you with individual specific business needs. For example, if things like efficient order fulfilment and regular frequent access to the stock are some of the needs you have, then warehousing would be much better and worth paying a few extra bucks for.
Inventory Turnover:
The inventory handling has a high turnover facility designed to accommodate a high turnover of inventory. Goods are being received, processed, and shipped all the time. The storage facility is capable of serving both short-term storage and long-term storage as per the need.
Choosing the Right Option for Your Business: Warehousing vs. Storage
Analyse Your Business Needs: The first step is that you will make a critical analysis of your business needs. Some of the factors you will be considering include:
- Inventory size: How much storage space do you need?
- Inventory turnover rate: How frequently does your inventory move in and out of storage?
- Required services: Do you need order fulfilment, labelling, or other value-added services?
This will be in a clear position to know whether you need the effective flow of goods through a warehouse or the security and static environment of storage for your business.
Consider the Cost Difference: Warehouse services in Singapore, in most cases, will be costlier than storing products due to the mainly attached additional services, in essence. In addition, consider the costs of running your inventory fulfilment if you choose to store: those costs come with labour and packaging material, and potentially additional delays, because you would not be working with an experienced warehouse.
Right Fit: The most cost-effective solution that fits your specific circumstances. In the case where you have a huge volume of high product turnover, along with efficient order fill rates, then maybe a warehouse would be a more fitting solution. It is, however, wise to rent a storage facility in the following cases: if your items are of a seasonal inventory nature or need longtime storage, and there will be no continued access to them.