Most fulfillment companies and Third Party Logistics, or 3PLs, are focused on order fulfillment. This focus encompasses receiving individual orders, generally for e-commerce transactions, picking a specific set of items as specified on the individual order, packing the order, and shipping it to an individual consumer. This system is also known as pick-and-pack. Elite Sourcing and Logistics is different. Our focus is on value-added product fulfillment and distribution.
What does a Value-Added Product Fulfillment and Distribution Center do?
A specialized product fulfillment and distribution center is focused on bulk value-added services for business-to-business orders. These services include, but are not limited to,
- On-demand kitting – Products are packaged and shipped together as a single unit, i.e., a completed subscription box, a completed display, etc.,
- Contract product assembly,
- Break-apart whereby large, printed sheets of product are broken down into individual components,
- Quality review which includes product inspection and sorting,
- Packaging and repackaging, labeling, and relabeling,
- Sub-assembly, final assembly, and disassembly,
- Gluing, stapling and other services as needed,
- Light manufacturing, and finally,
- Distribution
These services, provided by a full-time, well-trained staff can significantly reduce costs. Outsourcing these services can provide businesses with access to a knowledgeable and experienced team while giving them more flexibility when it comes to managing their supply chain effectively.
Orders can be placed by small businesses, mid-market retailers and large enterprises who wish to outsource all or parts of their manufacturing business. Also, customers may have special project jobs that cannot be handled with their normal manufacturing process or staff. In some cases, businesses may wish to reduce or eliminate in-house or temporary labor. Other customers may be a small business in need of more production capability, and they are not wanting to expand to a large stand-alone manufacturing operation.
Advantages of Outsourcing Warehousing and Logistics Services
Outsourcing warehousing and logistics services can improve inventory visibility and control with more accurate and timely inventories. Carefully monitored and verified receiving and shipping processes, highly accurate inventory counts, including routine cycle counts, as well as reliable pick up and delivery of products from vendors, customers, and other associated businesses, can provide many advantages for businesses such as:
- Lowered costs,
- Improved accuracy and efficiency,
- Increased flexibility and scalability, and
- Access to expert knowledge & experience.
By outsourcing these services, you can free up time and resources that could be better spent on other aspects of your business such as marketing or research and development. Additionally, by partnering with an experienced 3PL, you can benefit from their expertise in managing operations more cost-effectively than if you were doing it yourself. Furthermore, outsourced warehousing and logistics providers like Elite Sourcing and Logistics have access to state-of-the-art technology and highly experienced staff which helps us streamline operations even further resulting in greater efficiency and accuracy throughout the entire supply chain process.
If you are interested in discussing a partnership with a high quality, accuracy obsessed 3PL to handle product fulfillment and distribution, give Elite Sourcing and Logistics a call. We look forward to hearing from you.