[PL] What types of storage facilities are there? Which type to choose?

Nowadays, there are various types of warehouses in the transport and retail sectors. Some are used solely for the storage of goods, others also deal with the fulfilment of orders for online shops and still others handle returns. Do you want to know the most common types of warehouse and which type of warehouse will be suitable for your business? See the types of warehouse and their functions in the article below.

Types of warehouse by function

A good e-commerce warehouse is one that is tailored in size, functionality and purpose to the scale of the business. There are many types of warehouse on the market, which differ primarily in terms of function. So what types of warehouse are there based on their purpose? Here are some of them.

1. Distribution warehouses – this type of warehouse is mainly intended for the transfer of goods in finished packages between distribution centres. In practice, the principle is simple. The company sends the goods in prepared cardboard parcels or on pallets, and the distribution warehouse only stores the goods for a certain period of time and passes them on.
2. Transshipment warehouses – their function is mainly to temporarily store goods that are later distributed by other means of transport. Such warehouses are most often located within a province or even a town.
3. Production ware houses – this type of storage space is used by production companies that manufacture goods, store them and then distribute them to retailers.
4. Delivery ware houses – this is the standard type of warehouse that is used to store and hold goods until an order is placed for specific products, such as an online shop.
5. Consignmentwarehouses – these are exclusively for the short-term storage of goods destined for online shop orders. Warehousemen are usually employed on site and are responsible for packaging and packing products for dispatch.

You already know the types of warehouses and their functions, but did you know that this is not the only division of such spaces? We can also divide the space intended for the storage of goods and the preparation of parcels for shipment directly to customers according to the type of structure, the height of the warehouse, the type of products stored and the area of activity.

What types of warehouse are there by type of construction?

The types of warehouse in terms of structure can be divided into halls: closed and open. The former belong to the most common group of storage areas, which are used in various industries all over the world. They can be used to store loads, work on packing goods into parcels and on pallets, and even isolate dangerous goods from the weather. When working in such a structure, it is useful to know how to store cardboard boxes in a warehouse. This is elementary knowledge that allows you to organise the space in closed single-storey and multi-storey warehouses in a functional way.

The second variety of warehouses are open structures that are located in uncovered space. They can be found on sawmills, among other sites. They are distinguished by their low maintenance and construction costs, but are not suitable for the storage of sensitive goods. Their purpose is rather to store containers and bulky cargo.

Types of warehouse in terms of storage height

Warehouses are also subdivided according to the way the goods are stored. Some structures are built to allow only the storage of goods on steel racks – mainly for general cargo. They are ideal as warehouses for online shops, e.g. for home furnishing accessories or small electronics.

Medium warehouses are structures that allow the use of racks up to a height of over 7.2 metres. The types of warehouse whose maximum height exceeds the 7.2 metre ceiling are the largest in terms of storage height. For a particular type of warehouse, it is also necessary to choose the right equipment and storage trolleys that allow goods to be moved safely and quickly and items to be removed from the shelves on the racks.

Regardless of the type of e-commerce warehouse chosen, it is always worth knowing the best ways to label cartons. This is essential to control the chaos that often occurs in warehouse spaces.

Classification and types of warehouse – summary

The types of warehouses and their functions vary. However, the most important thing is that the warehouse hall is tailored to the needs of the company that wants to use such space. The location of the warehouse, whether central, regional or port, has an impact on logistics and the availability of goods for distribution. The selection of the right type of warehouse should start first of all by verifying the function and purpose of the specific space.