Warehouse Management Services - Assignment Example

For the purposes of this discussion, the paper will focus on the following companies services, OOCL Logistics, ATC International, and DAMCO Warehousing, all based in the United States. OOCL Logistics Information Integration OOCL Logistics incorporates technology within its services. The company utilizes application software MyPodium- Domestic to link information end to end across the clients’ supply chain. Such technology ensures timely delivery of information between warehouse clients and the manufacturers.

The technology offers services such as capturing of transload data, gate in and gate out, trailers numbers and waybill reference numbers into the company’s system. In addition, MyPodium-Domestic application further connects the company’s inventory system to the internet. The internet enables the OOCL Logistics to operate on a real time basis on a global platform facilitating up to date decision-making regarding orders, supply chain and expected demand in the market. Real time decision-making and appropriate product allocation leads to minimum time wastage and lower cost thus enhancing the supply chain (OOCL Logistics. 2013). Reverse Logistics Processing One of the outstanding services being offered by OOCL Logistics is the reverse logistics processing.

Reverse logistics processing involves the following activities; remanufacturing and repair, remarketing, recycling, and returns management. According to Richards (2011), returns management refers to the management of reverse flow of product that did not sell or recalled product. On the other hand, remanufacturing and repair facilitates the reverse flow of product following its useful life. OOCL Logistics majorly concentrate on electronic product for the reverse logistics. After performing repair of recalled electronic products, the company then resale the products at much, lower prices.

The warehouse also has the capabilities to recycle plastic products. Most plastic products are recycled into newer forms and then put for sale. Reverse logistics processing has the effect of adding more value to goods in supply chain. The service also creates more avenues for increasing returns to manufacturers and warehouse management (OOCL Logistics, 2013). ATC International Cross-Docking Services According to Richards (2011), Cross-docking is the process of combining inventory from multiple origins into a prespecified assortment for a specific customer.

Most small-scale businesses employ cross docking to replenish fast selling goods in their business. At ATC, a single invoice is received for goods to be shipped from a factory. The shipment is usually a consolidation of numerous orders destined for the same customer.ATC facilitates the clearance of the shipment with US customs brokers, receives the goods into the warehouse, and further alerts the client of the shipment arrival. With cross docking, goods are able to move through the supply chain rapidly leading to low cost and demand satisfaction.

The provision of cross docking services by ATC is in line with economic benefits of warehousing taught in chapter five (ATC International, 2006). Pick and Pack Services In the pick and pack services, manufacturers ship stocks in large quantity to ATC warehouses. The main objective of pick and pack services is to pack the bulk goods into smaller quantities as desired by the clients be it the manufacturers or the end users. First, the manufacturer sends orders, invoices, or