Who Needs Warehousing Management and How Much Thereof?
P.J. Jakovljevic - August 30, 2005

Who Needs Warehousing and How Much Thereof?

The warehouse is no longer merely a static storage facility. It now has to use virtually real-time data to closely match supply to demand, eliminate the need to hold excess inventory, and increase the flow of goods throughout the supply chain. Therefore, because broader supply chain execution (SCE) software (with warehouse management at its core) can handle these complex requirements, postponing many light manufacturing operations (e.g., final assembly, customized packing, labeling, engraving, etc.) from shop floors to warehouses and distribution centers (DC) has become a trend. Having a warehouse management system (WMS) package plays a key role in a company's postponement strategy to delay the customization of products until after the products, or a set of common components, have left the manufacturing plant. The strategy starts with the introduction an advanced kitting capability to a WMS product. Related to this is the order penetration point as the key variable in a logistics configuration...