Choosing a warehouse for your products and items is a smart move. Many businesses around the Boston area don’t have enough in-house storage space for their seasonal shipments and overstocked items, which is where warehouses come into play. At Extreme Packing Solutions, Inc., we specialize in not only packing and shipping items, but storing them short-term as well. We understand how difficult it can be to find the best warehouse for your needs, so here’s a cheat sheet on what to consider while you’re doing your research.
What To Consider When Looking for a Warehouse
- Location. Location is everything when looking for a warehouse to store your equipment or products. It’s important to consider quick access to major highways and how close the storage space is to your storefront. It doesn’t make sense to choose a warehouse halfway across the state as that cuts into travel costs and time wasted on transportation.
- Ceiling Height. Consider the height of the warehouse’s ceilings — especially if you have industrial equipment that tops out higher than 10 feet. Although in most cases ceiling height shouldn’t be a problem, you may want to ask the warehouse what the max height is for their space.
- Bay Size. Just because an item or piece of equipment can fit on a flatbed truck, doesn’t mean it can fit through a door. Bay size is important to consider for those needing to store large construction or medical equipment as well as furniture or other machinery. Bay size also impacts rack ability and storage efficiencies.
- Temperature-Controlled. EXPS, Inc. stores hundreds of antique and high value items for customers throughout New England because we offer temperature-controlled environments. If you have antique wood furniture, artwork or other valuable items, consider temperature-controlled warehouses to protect them and preserve their value.
- Price. We all know that price often dictates your final decision on a warehouse, which is why at EXPS, Inc. we provide competitive pricing options for those who are interested in renting warehouse space. Unlike storing items in a warehouse that’s closer to the city of Boston, being in Beverly allows us to offer more affordable prices to our customers.
- Flexibility. Will you need more space in the future? Or will you need to downsize at a moment’s notice? Keep in mind that some warehouse facilities aren’t flexible when it comes to changing the allotted amount of space you have. Be sure to find a warehouse that can meet your needs and allows your business to expand.
- Dock Doors. How many doors can you utilize? How tall or wide are these doors? What type of doors are available? Are these doors close to the storage area? All of these questions you should be prepared to ask on tour next tour of a potential warehouse.
- Access to Railways. The greater Boston area offers businesses a wide network of rail systems that can reach anywhere across the east coast and beyond. If you need access to railways to transport your equipment or goods, then it’s crucial to find a warehouse that isn’t far from a railway hub.
- Ordinances. Town and state ordinances vary, so don’t forget to ask what the local ordinances are at a particular warehouse you’re interested in. Some laws may limit truck use, cargo weight and type of good stored.
- Short or Long-Term. Warehouses are very particular about how long you can store your equipment and goods. At EXPS, Inc., we offer short-term warehousing solutions to small to medium-sized businesses. If you are in need of longer-term storage, we can also recommend you to other warehousing providers.
One last feature to keep in mind while looking for a warehouse in your area is to inquire whether or not they also provide distribution or last mile delivery services. EXPS, Inc. provides last mile delivery and distribution because we understand that as a business owner, your job is to be on the front lines at your storefront. Let us handle the logistics and shipping so you can focus on more important business matters. Contact us today about warehousing and distribution services with EXPS, Inc.