How to Start a Cross Docking Business
As companies seek to streamline their supply chains, cross-docking has become an increasingly popular option. This process moves goods directly from incoming transport vehicles to outgoing transport, bypassing the need for storage and drastically decreasing shipping times. While there are many benefits to implementing this strategy, it’s important to understand the entire process before getting started.
When starting a cross-docking business, you’ll need to register your business with the state where you plan on operating. This will help to ensure that you’re protected legally if anything goes wrong with your business. You’ll also need to set up a warehouse with enough space to store inbound and outbound freight. This will include plenty of docking terminals and a platform that can facilitate rapid transfer. Additionally, you’ll need a team of experienced logistics professionals to handle the operation.
While cross-docking offers a lot of benefits, it isn’t cheap. You’ll need to invest a significant amount of capital to set up a cross docking operation and purchase outbound trucks to ship your products. Additionally, if your inbound or outbound transportation isn’t running on schedule, you could face delays in shipping and additional fees from the cross-docking company.
Staple products like staple food and clothes are great candidates for cross-docking, as they don’t need to be stored long. Businesses that sell promotional items are also good candidates for this model, as they can quickly move inventory in and out of the warehouse to meet demand.