Moving goods and materials is a critical part of many businesses. Whether it’s receiving stock for retail, building materials in construction, components for manufacturing or anything else, the planning around how and when these items arrive is a critical part of ensuring operations run smoothly and efficiently.

That, in a nutshell, is logistics. But logistical planning and management doesn’t stop when goods and materials arrive at your door.

Once you take receipt of them, you still have to think about storage, inventory management, moving items around your premises to where they need to be. This is what we call onsite logistics.

You might think that once you have taken delivery of goods, the rest is down to you. How you manage your own inventory on your own site is your own responsibility.

But onsite logistics can be a major undertaking. Consider a large retailer running its own distribution centres supplying stores and picking online orders. Distributing goods around any large site, such as a major factory complex or processing plant, requires specialist expertise.

That’s what you get by outsourcing your onsite logistics. Specialist logistics services have evolved beyond simply transporting or warehousing goods on behalf of customers. In modern 4PL and 5PL logistics models, the expertise of logistics provider extends to managing what happens on a company’s own premises as well.

Whether you are looking for an end-to-end solution for all your logistics needs or are simply looking to make your onsite operations more efficient, outsourcing carries a number of benefits.

Proven expertise

Warehousing and onsite distribution of goods can be a complex business. By outsourcing logistics management at your own sites to a specialist provider, you get proven experience and expertise. At MF Logistics, for example, we’ve been in the business for 40 years. We bring that knowledge we’ve built up running distribution and warehousing services over the years to take your own operations up a level.

Cost effective

One of the biggest cost burdens in running your own logistics operations is hiring your own staff. Big warehouses and distribution centres require a lot of personnel. Third party providers take care of hiring, training and managing drivers, pickers, warehouse operatives and administrators, saving you money.

Tailored solutions

One of the things we promise at MF Logistics when we are hired as onsite logistics partners is that we will implement the right solutions for your business. No two companies are the same, so no two companies have the same logistical priorities. At the start of every relationship, we carry out a thorough analysis of your business and your current supply chain, identifying issues and opportunities, and designing and implementing a solution that aligns with your business objectives.

End-to-end integration

Part of the design process for any onsite logistical operation involves looking at the rest of your supply chain, such as inbound and outbound distribution. We are experts in these fields too, so the onsite solutions we put in place will always be designed to dovetail neatly with the rest of your logistical needs. Even if we’re not your chosen partner for transportation etc, we have the expertise to liaise with other providers and work in partnership to optimise your logistics end to end.

Focus on your core business

Finally, while logistics might be a key cog in what you do, as a retailer or B2B supplier or manufacturer or construction company, it isn’t the core focus of your business. You might need to get onsite logistics right to achieve your broader business goals, but your energies and expertise will be better focused elsewhere. By outsourcing to a trusted logistics specialist, you get peace of mind that your operations are in good hands, and you get to focus time and resources on other parts of your business.