What is a Pick and Pack Service?

Pick and pack services are a crucial part of the global supply chain. Have you ever wondered how some companies have seamless distribution? Instead of doing this in-house, these businesses rely on specialized warehouses with pick-and-pack services. This distribution method responds to modern economic needs and can help companies streamline internal processes and increase profits. In this post, we define pick and pack, discuss the benefits of this approach, and provide some tips on choosing the ideal fulfillment service. 

Pick and Pack Services Explained

To understand pick and pack services, first, consider the issue it solves. Imagine a small- medium-sized business attempting to start its own supply chain. Usually, the company won’t have warehousing space to store large amounts of goods. If it cannot store those supplies, it loses a wholesale discount. On top of that, the business is responsible for packaging, inventory management, and delivery. Pick and pack services manage all aspects of the transport process by providing central distribution. 

How it Works

1. Your company rents, leases, or purchases warehouse space. The facility sets aside this cubic footage for products from your business. 
2. Products arrive in massive quantities at the warehouse.
3. Either an automation system or staff track the goods and place them in storage.
4. Warehouse personnel ‘picks’ the goods and ‘packs’ them into smaller sets based on where they must arrive. 
5. The warehouse ships the smaller ‘packs’ out while monitoring inventory flow. 

Pick and pack services are available at various levels of the supply chain:

Example: Business-to-Business Commerce

Companies can use pick and pack services on bulk products like pulp, a raw material.  The materials are then shipped to individual purchasers according to orders. In this case, the pick and pack service is earlier in the supply chain since they don’t handle a finished product. 

Example: Business to Consumer Commerce

Another example is a drill kit, where the battery, the drill, and the bits each have different storage needs. All three items ship to a warehouse, where they are stored in an ideal manner. Then the warehouse staff will pick out the batteries, drills, and bits when an order arrives, then batch and package the supplies. 

Pick and pack services combine the benefits of a trans-loading facility with a warehouse. This fulfillment service outsources supply chain management, letting you focus on the big picture. 

Storage Options with Pick and Pack Services

There is no one-size-fits-all warehousing solution, so it’s important to find a warehousing service that accommodates the needs of your product. Among the storage options are: 

• Refrigerated storage: Some products risk spoiling if they get above a certain temperature. Consider food or medical supplies that become dangerous when warmed. A quality pick-and-pack service keeps’ the goods cool while still fulfilling orders. Using advanced security and automated refrigeration, the products remain in good condition for order fulfillment. 
• Racking versus bulk: Some products are stackable blocks that fit precisely into a set cubic area. Other goods aren’t meant for ground storage and require racking. Equipped with thousands of racking positions, Wills Transfer simplifies the pick and pack process. By making your goods accessible, it’s easier to fulfill orders — everyone wins. 
• Paper-specific storage: One of Canada’s largest industries is pulp and paper products. The goods have specialized requirements for handling, storage, and shipping essential to business. The supply chain for paper products relies heavily on pick-and-pack warehouse fulfillment. Wills Transfer has an industry-leading clamp capacity to protect the pulp product by investing in top-of-the-line equipment. 
• Raw material storage

The pick and pack service we offer accommodates all types of raw materials. Essential to production, we hold onto the bulk quantities of your supplies, picking, packing, and shipping them as needed. This is one of the most valuable aspects of a third-party fulfillment service. Raw materials take space that your business can put to better use, and warehousing it separately is often logistically essential. 

The stored product largely dictates the warehousing requirements, so it’s important to find a warehouse with versatile services. We provide turnkey storage and fulfillment for all sorts of items, so our warehouse can make your supply chain easier no matter what your business. 

Benefits of Pick and Pack Services 

Imagine sourcing, ordering, storing, repackaging, and shipping every order your business completes — it leads to diminishing returns by getting more logistically challenging as you grow. 

Third-party warehouses let you retake control of your business’ supply chain through pick-and-pack services

There are plenty of advantages, including: 

• Having storage close to home with dedicated warehouses in key business areas. Our pick-and-pack services streamline shipping between Toronto, Montreal, and the eastern United States. We provide efficient, reliable transport of goods between these key areas using existing infrastructure. 
• Embrace sales potential by using a service designed to scale. Pick and pack services help you avoid the increasing costs of running a growing business. By outsourcing the transportation and storage of goods, you can avoid the cost of in-house inventory control. Our secure approaches protect you from risk to conduct business with peace of mind. 
• Controlled goods management and the security it needs make it easier to run your business. We can securely store and handle your supplies with PIP and Controlled Goods certifications. Our Security Level B storage facility reduces any logistical issues handling your supplies.
• Better inventory tracking through access to advanced technology. We’re equipped with industry-leading inventory control systems. This protects your supplies, avoids spoilage, and prevents hiccups in the supply chain due to inventory errors. 
• Increased efficiency through automation, leading to improved customer satisfaction. We handle the picking, packing, and shipping on your behalf, ensuring timeliness and accuracy. 

Final Thoughts 

Pick and pack services let you keep the bulk sales without having to physically store and manage the bulk goods. We specialize in spatial optimization. Making the very most of our combined 1,000,000 square foot warehouses, we employ racks to fully realize the vertical space. You run the business. We handle the storage, packing, and shipping.  Any commodity-based business needs a streamlined supply chain to succeed. We’re dedicated to offering turnkey solutions to help your business thrive.

To learn more about pick and pack services, contact Wills Transfers at 613-704-7549 or send us a message here. Talk to you soon!