Our Fulfilment Centres

The primary function of a warehouse is to store large quantities of goods for an extended period. These can range from raw materials waiting to be used in production to finished products awaiting purchase orders. Warehouses might not handle the products often, except for when inventory is added or removed. The frequency of these transactions is relatively low.

Fulfilment centres are designed to ensure a speedy process of receiving, packaging, and shipping orders to end consumers. They manage the complete ‘order fulfilment’ process. These centres deal with higher volumes of product handling and shipping on a daily basis, especially in businesses with an extensive online presence. Their operations are aligned with eCommerce functionality, handling individual picking, packing, and shipping of orders.

Warehouses generally involve standard procedures of receiving, storing, and occasionally dispatching goods in bulk, usually involving B2B (business-to-business) transactions. Their operations are not typically equipped for handling individual or small orders or for shipping directly to consumers.

Fulfilment centres are adapted to accommodate B2C (business-to-consumer) operations, dealing with individual orders. They involve processes like picking (selecting items needed for each order), packaging, and shipping to individual customers. Fulfilment centres often handle returns processing, which is integral to eCommerce operations.

While modern warehouses do use technology for inventory management, the level of technological integration is generally limited compared to fulfilment centres. They use systems primarily designed for tracking inventory levels, locations, and batch control, focusing on long-term storage efficiency and safety.

Fulfilment centres are often characterised by a high degree of technological sophistication, utilising advanced software for inventory management, automated picking processes, tracking packages, handling returns, and providing customer service. They are integrated with eCommerce platforms, ensuring real-time visibility of orders and inventory for online retailers and customers.

Products are generally stored for longer periods in warehouses, ranging from several weeks to months or even years, depending on the nature of the inventory and market demands.

Whereas in fulfilment centres goods are stored for shorter periods as the purpose is to move items quickly to the end consumers. The inventory turnover rate is higher, ensuring that products do not remain in the facility for an extended time.

While both warehousing and fulfilment centres are essential for inventory management, they cater to different business needs. Warehousing is more about storage, and fulfilment centres are about quick processing and delivery, playing a significant role in the customer experience. As eCommerce continues to grow, the role of fulfilment centres becomes increasingly crucial, driving innovations in logistics, technology integration, and supply chain management.