Just in time inventory has been the practice of retailers, manufacturers, and assemblers for decades. Simply put, forecast sales, forecast demand, production, shipping, storage, and inventory control. Then draw down as needed – rinse, repeat, and replenish.
That is fine when supply chains are running optimally, with no disruptions. Disruptions in the last two years will forever re-shape supply chains from the biggest manufacturers (like Caterpillar) right down to a local Main Street retailer.
Today, with inventories in short supply, manufacturing stunted and availability of goods in flux, self-storage has a fit in today’s moving target of supply and demand of all types of goods.
Consider these scenarios:
A local retailer who sells sporting goods. He placed his order for hockey skates in the spring of 2021 for delivery in early summer. The inventory was to last until February but sold out by November and he will not be able to replenish his skate supply until the next booking season. The conclusion is that with this much demand for skates then most likely hockey sticks will follow. He has one more shot at a stick order and normally his earlier order would have sufficed. But now he anticipates he will need even more sticks and orders more.
Being a retailer stock rooms are typically small and historically relied on inventory from suppliers, quick fill-in orders, and quick shipping but not now.
So, what does he do with the stick order due in 3 weeks? He is not going to add more retail space when warehouse-type space is needed.
The next case is an electrical contractor who needs an available supply of wire and conduit for a project. Typically, he would order anywhere from a few days to a week’s supply from the distributor and pick up for that day but now that method will not provide the availability he needs.
He knows exactly how much conduit he needs for the job, has completed 15% of the project, needs another 30% of the material in 4 weeks but has no guarantee of getting it when he needs it because just in time inventory is now just not available inventory. And his truck will not hold 30% of the product needed in 4 weeks. This electrical contractor needs an inventory overflow storage solution.
For him and the hockey retailer, the value of self-storage would fit.
24-hour access to his secure and alarm monitored locker,
Passcode protected gate access,
In both cases, they can drive right up to the locker and load up,
Deliveries accepted on their behalf,
No long-term lease, it is month to month,
Central locations on major routes,
Easy access for the transport companies.
Just in Case storage solutions from Storageville may be the answer in both these scenarios.
