What is a critical parts warehouse or a forward stocking location?
Critical parts warehouses and forward stocking locations are 3rd party warehouses which offer a local presence for shippers to stage inventory for local or regional delivery. Industries demanding critical parts or forward stocking locations include utilities and power generation, construction sites, information technology, manufacturing facilities, and retail locations.
What is the difference between the two?
There are some minor differences between the two. A critical parts warehouse tends to favor small packages, boxes of small parts under 50 lbs. that can be delivered in a car or small van. While a forward stocking location tends to favor heavy, palletized freight arriving inbound by tractor trailer and usually delivered outbound on demand by a straight truck.
(Because critical parts warehouses and forward stocking locations serve the same need, we’ll use the terms interchangeably here.)
Why and how are critical parts warehouses or forward stocking locations used?
- When customer delivery demands just-in-time (JIT) delivery, a quality critical parts warehouse, like the Blue Eagle facilities in the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania, supplies safe and secure storage for valuable inventory. Shippers of high value or critical parts maintain a network of FSLs across North America to provide 24/7/365 JIT services their manufacturing sites are unable to offer safely or effectively.
- FSLs enable precise, reliable inventory counts so products are tracked, rotated, and accounted for throughout the supply chain from fulfillment to delivery. Well-managed locally available inventory speeds responsiveness to the customer, streamlines your process, and increases efficiency and productivity for field personel. Advanced warehouse management technology eliminates error-prone manual inventory processes, providing visibility and transparency, while accelerating the speed of decision-making.
- When products are ready for delivery, a network of quality screened couriers and last-mile delivery drivers, like Blue Eagle Logistics, round out the service. They transport critical parts to their destination on-time and damage-free. Responsiveness to customer demands ensures shipments arrive when customers need them, and not a moment before.
Do you need critical parts warehousing?
When you need to maintain a local inventory of critical parts for delivery in the Northeast, Blue Eagle Logistics’ forward stocking location solutions will meet your needs. Our team provides secure storage, accurate inventory counts, and prompt delivery. We are certified by the U.S. Customs Service and our drivers maintain Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and HAZMAT certification.