Warehousing operations are at the heart of the supply chain of any organization. The ability to secure the storage and flow of supplies with an eye on balancing costs with desired service levels provides a formidable challenge to the warehousing professional.

In this course, we describe the strategic role of warehousing in the broader context of supply chain management and logistics. We also detail the different warehousing activities and focus on the ones which warehousing can contribute to, in the organization. In addition, we examine the operational and financial performance aspect of warehousing, with an eye on sustainability.

Course Methodology

This course leverages a variety of learning tools, including exercises, case studies, financial problems, warehouse design and videos.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the strategic role of warehouses in the supply chain
• Profile and optimize warehousing activities
• Identify different warehousing configurations and value adding activities
• Develop key performance indicators and benchmark warehouse performance
• Outline the cost and revenue aspects of warehousing
• Recognize sustainable warehousing techniques and practices

Target Audience

Warehousing and supply chain professionals, in particular those at operational, supervisory and management level. The course is ideal for those seeking to complement their warehousing experience with the latest theoretical knowledge in preparation for assuming higher positions in their respective organizations.

Target Competencies

• Warehouse management
• Analytical thinking
• Collaborative operations
• Performance management
• Financial analysis
• Reverse logistics
• Sustainable operations

Course Outline

The strategic role of warehousing

• Supply chain overview
• The role of warehouses
• Types of warehouses
  • Private warehousing
  • Public warehousing
  • Contract warehousing
• Fundamentals of warehouse operations
• Warehouse organizations and job descriptions

Warehouse activity profiling

• Customer order profiling
• Item activity profiling
• Inventory profiling
• Activity relationship profiling
• Warehousing equipment and tools

• Forklifts
• Cranes
• Conveyors
• Tow lines
• Carousels

Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC)

• Bar coding
• Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
• Magnetic stripes
• Bio metrics

Warehouse configuration and value adding activities

• Warehousing echelons
• Warehouse design
• Value adding activities
  • Stockpiling, spot stocking and assortments
  • Cross docking, break bulking and consolidation
  • Mixing
  • Postponement and assembly-to-order
• Reverse logistics

Managing warehouse performance

• Warehousing KPIs
• Benchmarking warehousing operations
• Warehouse performance gap identification
• Continuous improvement in operations
• Warehouse cost calculations
• Capital costs
• Operating costs
• Handling and storage costs
• Investment analysis

Sustainable warehousing operations

• Lean warehousing
• Sustainability competencies
• The triple bottom lines
• Designing-for-the-supply chain
• Designing-for-the-environment