¿Qué es el cross docking y cómo funciona?
It is increasingly necessary for export logistics to be faster without losing efficiency, this means streamlining the processes of storage and preparation of goods so that they reach consumers as as quickly as possible. It is of utmost importance that there is good management between suppliers, carriers, warehouses and end users. One way to achieve this is through a cross docking or cross docking operation. But exactly what is cross docking? How does it work and what is it for?
In this article, we will share with you more information about what it is and its key points.
What is cross docking in logistics?
It refers to the technique of optimizing the storage time of goods, the function of cross docking is to ensure that the goods do not remain inside the warehouse and that they are delivered as soon as possible to customers.
How does cross docking work?
The objective of carrying out Cross Dock operations is to gain efficiency in transport and inventory management, since costs related to the maintenance of goods in the warehouse and the conservation of products are saved, but How does it work? ?
During the supply chain, the flow of goods is discontinuous because the supply and demand for products are not perfectly coordinated. The goods are deposited in the warehouses so that they are available when the demand is activated and can be sent to the customer without delay. When executing Cross Docking operations, the flow of goods becomes continuous because there is a synchronization of supply and demand that speeds up the process.
Types of cross docking
Within logistics there are 3 main types: direct, indirect and hybrid cross docking. Below, we share with you what each of these types consists of.
- Direct cross docking
Also called "Cross docking pre-distributed" is when the merchandise arrives at the warehouse previously separated, this means that it is only received in the warehouse output units to be organized according to the points to which it must be delivered.
- Indirect cross-coupling
Also known as "consolidated cross docking", here the merchandise is received in the warehouse, but is moved to an intermediate point or conditioning area to prepare it (this process is known as picking). During this procedure, the merchandise is separated and organized so that it can be shipped to its corresponding destination.
- Hybrid cross docking
It consists of preparing the orders in the packaging area, but taking part of the goods coming from the trucks and part of the goods that were previously stored.
Benefits of cross docking
Applying cross dock translates into a significant increase in logistics efficiency, we share with you some advantages in the operation:
- Reduce delivery times and improve customer service: The supply chain becomes agile, because it contains fewer steps to fulfill. Therefore, the delivery time is shorter while maintaining the quality of service by allowing on-time delivery of cargo.
- Logistic cost savings: These are linked to storage and inventory maintenance, but also to the transportation service because it allows optimizing truck routes and stops by reorganizing the merchandise in the warehouse prior to loading.
- Less number of operations: For the transition to be carried out, all that is needed is the unloading of the merchandise, quality control, order assembly and shipping. In this technique there is no picking or storage. Thanks to this, the number of operations is less, thus reducing handling and location tasks, which translates into a reduction in the risk of making mistakes.
At Henco Almacenes we offer you the Cross Dock service as a way to further optimize the transport routes we manage, offering you a competitive price with high-level quality adapting ourselves to your needs.
Thanks to this we can execute the reception, classification and loading of your merchandise in an agile way and with full access to the data of each order, leave your cargo in our hands and discover whyHenco is your best ally in logistics.
