What is warehousing as a service?

Disruptions to supply chains are here to stay. At the same time, ecommerce growth and consumer expectations place increasing pressure on the resources and channels that facilitate the storage and movement of merchandise. Consumers don’t necessarily care about the ‘why’ or ‘how’ - but they sure do care about the ‘when’.

Even after all the hurdles of getting goods here, challenges don’t stop once the materials reach our shores. 3PLs and brands have to overcome obstacles across the ecosystem including distribution, transportation, and fulfillment, making it more difficult to deliver goods to stores and consumers in a timely and cost-effective manner.

The ever-changing supply chain environment is a catalyst for creative thinking, supplier diversification, and partnerships that provide both stability and flexibility. When times are uncertain, investments and budgets must be deployed with even more caution - which makes Warehousing as a Service (WaaS) an ideal solution for services you need today and will likely need in the future.

What is WaaS?

WaaS solutions are offered by 3PLs to simplify and optimize the warehousing arm of your supply chain. The service generally includes a network of warehousing and fulfillment facilities along with labor resources and expertise to receive, securely store, and outbound goods. With flexible service agreements that can range from short-term agreements to contract logistics, WaaS providers should offer rapid onboarding and value-added services such as container unloading, kitting, reverse logistics, and disposition.

The WaaS model is designed to be agile and provides on-demand flexibility at scale to handle overflow storage, seasonality, product launches, special projects, and other short- and long-term storage needs. WaaS facilities are located in key markets, and the WaaS model can both supplement owned, leased, or outsourced logistics models, as well as offer organizations the flexibility to expand and grow without heavy CapEx or fixed OpEx expenses.

With WaaS, organizations do not need to build or lock themselves into long-term contracts when they have constantly evolving challenges or growth strategies that could be supported by on-demand solutions. WaaS can help fulfill shorter-term or changing logistics needs when more expensive, traditional solutions are not required.

Building resiliency with flexibility

From weather events to geopolitical unrest, disruptions will continue to play a role in shaping the logistics industry. Traditional in-house and outsourced logistics solutions are not going to provide the elasticity brands & 3PLs need. Warehousing as a Service provides the necessary levels of agility, flexibility, and scalability that organizations — and the supply chain as a whole — will be looking for as commerce becomes even more complex.

Learn more about us or schedule a tour by visiting: https://www.ironmountain.com/contact/warehousing-and-logistics.