Warehousing & Distribution

Boasting under cover warehousing capacity of > 750 000m² in southern Africa and total international storage capacity > 2 240 000m² (including under cover warehouse capacity of approximately 1 500 000m²), we provide customised and cost effective warehousing and distribution solutions in southern Africa and Europe. By understanding our customers’ requirements and anticipating their future needs, we implement customised solutions that drive value for their businesses.

Dedicated or shared warehousing services include bondage, terminal management, container handling, enterprise web enablement and pallet management. Our cross-docking efficiency increases delivery speed and reduces storage costs and inventory holding.

Whether a customer needs to distribute product in bulk or break-bulk, or move product between distribution centres (DCs) or direct-to-store, we identify the best solution. Our experienced teams across all IMPERIAL Logistics’ member companies ensure professional management of our DCs, which enables our customers to focus on their core business.

IMPERIAL Logistics’ warehouse management systems and interface software drive productivity while enabling more reliable, faster start ups. Depending on your business’ needs, warehousing and distribution infrastructure can be owned by us or we can recommend how to optimise or improve existing infrastructure.

	Analysis and design With a pool of supply chain experts and vast knowledge of warehousing and distribution management, we specialise in the analysis and design of efficient and cost-effective warehousing and distribution solutions, tailored for specific industry requirements. We have a proven track record of improving our customers’ bottom line and adhering to service delivery KPIs where it is most critical thereby ensuring improved sales execution. Tactical support and solutions design include: Distribution network design Fleet size and compilation Inventory optimisation Route-to-market alternatives Transportation Management Systems (TMS) requirements Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) requirements – world-class systems that can operate stand-alone or be integrated with most ERP systems or the management of the customer’s ERP solution Business Intelligence (BI) tools requirements – KPI and SLA management, automated reporting, operational visibility Temperature-controlled and ambient warehousing We provide controlled, multi-temperature, cost effective warehousing and distribution services to meet the stringent cold chain and food safety standards of the FMCG market. In the cold chain, we offer customised national distribution (primary and secondary) solutions to suit individual customer needs. With a dedicated fleet, our solutions include multi-temperature transportation of frozen, chilled and ambient products in a single load, optimising distribution and saving costs. Dedicated warehousing If the scale, location or complexity of your business requires a dedicated solution, we have the expertise and infrastructure you need. Starting with a thorough analysis of your specific business requirements, our teams design, implement, operate and improve dedicated warehousing and distribution operations that deliver value to your business. Consolidated warehousing We offer consolidated operations allowing greater efficiency in warehousing and distribution, achieving tangible cost savings for customers. IMPERIAL Logistics boasts with world-class warehousing facilities and the most up-to-date fleet. Shared warehousing and distribution Through owned warehousing and distribution facilities together with the capability to innovate and expand, IMPERIAL Logistics offers the flexibility and cost advantages of sharing space, labour, equipment and transportation. While creating economy of scale and achieving tangible customer benefits, we focus on each customer and consistently deliver excellent service through dedicated key account management structures. Bonded warehousing and storage IMPERIAL Logistics offers value-added supply chain services such as the storage for dutiable goods and manages all necessary customs according to regulations on behalf of customers during the period of storage. While in storage goods may be repacked and consolidated depending on customer requirements. Terminal management We manage container terminals and offer customers transshipment services. With the necessary infrastructure and logistical networks we have the capability to transship between ships and land vehicles or between land vehicles including trains and trucks. As part of this service, we provide storage facilities for both loaded and empty containers. Container stuffing / destuffing We provide container services including the loading, stuffing and securing of containers as well as unloading and destuffing. Inventory management Our warehouse and distribution centre management service offering include inventory management. We manage inventory in dedicated warehouses, at different locations within facilities and within multiple locations of supply chain networks. We focus to protect the regular and planned course of production against the random disturbance of running out of materials or goods. Our scope of inventory management also concerns the fine lines between replenishment lead time, carrying costs of inventory, asset management, inventory forecasting, inventory valuation, inventory visibility, future inventory price forecasting, physical inventory, available physical space for inventory, quality management, replenishment, returns and defective goods and demand forecasting. Balancing these competing requirements is a focus area for IMPERIAL Logistics as it leads to optimal inventory levels, a specific goal in streamlining the supply chain and ensuring customer benefits. In this area, IMPERIAL Logistics keeps abreast of industry trends and anticipate changes in order to ensure continuous improvement. In the process of inventory management, we work closely with the customer in the assortment of merchandise, ordering, shipping and handling, while related costs are kept in check. We have world-class systems and processes in place to identify inventory requirements, set targets, provide replenishment, reporting actual data and projected inventory status. IMPERIAL Logistics also handles all functions related to the tracking and management of goods, including the monitoring of goods moved into and out of stock and staging areas and the reconciling of inventory balances. The primary objective is to determine and control stock levels within the physical distribution function to balance the need for product availability against the need for minimising stock holding and handling costs. Materials / cargo handling and palletisation Part of our logistics service offering includes palletisation of goods for distribution, allowing efficient handling and storage of materials as well as distribution and transportation by various modes of transport. Distribution centre management IMPERIAL Logistics specialises in the management of distribution centres among other dedicated logistics services. We utilise Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) where applicable to direct the real-time activities within the warehouses and distribution centres, maximising efficiency of the material handling systems and warehouse activities. This way we are able to provide visibility of all activities, ensuring proper management of KPIs. Our WMS solutions are compatible with most ERP systems and allow seamless communication with customer interfaces. In other instances we manage the customer’s ERP solutions, e.g. we have extensive SAP experience. Cross-docking IMPERIAL Logistics has the capability to seamlessly integrate logistics services where needed. We offer cross-docking services, receiving consignments in bulk and ensure distribution of break-bulk to different destinations, while also combining goods from different destinations into transport vehicles or containers to the same destination. In most cross-docking services we make use of minimal or no warehousing. In some instances, especially pertaining to retail consignments, our cross-docking operations may involve staging where inbound goods are sorted, consolidated and stored until outbound shipment is complete and ready to ship. Specific benefits of Retail cross-docking include: Streamlines the supply chain from point of origin to point of sale Reduces handling costs, operating costs, and the storage of inventory Products get to the distributor and consequently to the customer faster Reduces, or eliminates warehousing costs May increase available retail sales space Reverse logistics Part of our service offering involves the movement of goods from point of sale and consumption to the point of origin or to a specific point within the supply chain. The purpose of this service offering is to capture value or to ensure proper disposal of goods.