A private warehouse is one owned and operated by a company for its own personal use. Ackerman maintains that there are six major functions of warehousing. Product mixing allows a company with multiple diverse product lines to consolidate their diverse products at one central warehouse location for later distribution. Consolidation involves using a warehouse as a gathering point for product to assemble them for later shipment to their eventual destination. Distribution , the opposite of consolidation, is the process of shipping finished goods to the market place.
Warehouses provide customer service by offering a manufacturer's local presence to various markets.
The functions are closely interrelated and in most companies they are part of the same department. Control the movement and activity of delivering drivers. Properly secure the delivery trailer to the loading dock. Check trailer seal on full loads for signs of tampering. Unload freight and maintain accurate count.