ASW’s Akron-Area Warehousing & Distribution Services

ASW Akron warehouse racks

With a full-service offering of warehousing, fulfillment, and supply chain management services, ASW offers a one-stop solution to companies seeking a partner to handle their logistics needs. Our clients range from multinational Fortune 500 companies to small, local businesses. They come to us because of our years of experience providing high-quality, customized solutions. Whether providing storage, cross-docking, order fulfillment, packaging, distribution, or value added services we have solutions to meet the needs of established and growing businesses.

Our Supply Chain Services employees are experienced and dedicated to meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations. Our team has an average tenure of 11.2 years, which greatly exceeds the industry average of 3.4 years. Having a seasoned and personable customer service team at hand enables us to afford every client a dedicated account representative who is able to deliver unrivaled, personalized service. With a single point of contact, our clients benefit from clear and timely communication and a thorough understanding of their unique needs.

Overview

Over forty years ago, ASW was born as Akron Storage and Warehouse to meet the growing warehousing needs in the Akron, Ohio region. With four warehouse locations in Akron and Mogadore, we continue to meet the needs of local clients, but also the needs of national and multinational clients who depend on our expertise, experience, and advantageous Northeast Ohio location.

As a full-service third-party logistics provider (3PL), we help manage our clients’ supply chain by providing warehousing and value-added solutions, as well as freight brokerage to clients who may not need us to warehouse product. Our services help our clients streamline their supply chains and get their products (raw material, semi-finished goods, and finished merchandise) where they need to go quickly and efficiently. Following is an overview of our warehousing and distribution services.

Distribution & Storage Solutions

Our distribution and storage solutions ensure seamless product flow and inventory control. We help clients minimize costs while maximizing efficiency. Our expertise in distribution management enables client product to reach its destinations safely and on time.

Cross-docking

Our cross-docking services are valuable for clients who need to get product delivered rapidly and efficiently without incurring storage fees. Without having to warehouse it, we unload product from incoming deliveries, sort it, and load it into other vehicles headed for outbound deliveries. Cross-docking is important in the following scenarios:

  • Product is coming in multiple shipments from various suppliers or regions, but it needs to arrive to final destination in one shipment (consolidation)
  • Product is arriving with shipments from other companies (LTL); it needs to be removed and shipped separately to final destination
  • Product is arriving in a large bulk quantity, but needs to be shipped to multiple locations in specific, smaller quantities/lots (break bulk)
  • Product is arriving that needs to be shipped to multiple locations in specific smaller quantities/lots (deconsolidation)

General Purpose Warehousing in a Foreign-Trade Zone

We manage over 700,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space in the Akron, Ohio region. 500,000 sq. ft. of that space is part of Foreign Trade Zone #181. As an FTZ facility, our operations are regulated by the Department of Homeland Security. Operating within an FTZ provides our clients with valuable cost savings (e.g. duty deferral or reduction; duty elimination on re-exports) for companies that import or export products. We warehouse a variety of different products for a diverse clientele. Whether we are storing raw plastics, parts, fasteners, retail goods, or specialty chemicals, we utilize the best methods to store product safely and effectively.

Railcar Storage

For some of our clients in the plastics industry (including distributors and manufacturers), we store bulk quantities of plastic resin in hopper cars until it is ready to be transported for just-in-time delivery.

Pipe Yard

As part of our Energy Services division, we manage a pipe yard, where we receive, store, and inventory pipe for our partners in the energy sector.

Inventory Management

Inventory management is the process of receiving a client’s product, storing it, and shipping it out once it is needed. For some clients, inventory management may first require us to order the product (either as raw material, a finished good, or in parts that need to be assembled). With our Warehouse Management System (WMS), we offer real-time inventory transparency, which provides our clients with the visibility needed to help them maintain optimal stock levels.

Lot Control

We use our WMS to perform lot control. This allows us to identify and track specific lots, or batches, of a client’s product. Lot control is important, particularly for specific industries. Consider the following scenarios:

  • A client needs to recall a product that came from a specific batch; with lot control the entire batch can be removed quickly—if still warehoused—or tracked to the location(s) the products within the batch were shipped
  • A hair dye manufacturer realizes that there is a significant variation in the color of their most popular dye due to a change in manufacturers; with lot control, the distinct batches can be easily identified and separated
  • Products in certain batches have reached their expiration date; with lot control those batches can be identified and removed from inventory

Order Fulfillment Services

Accurate and timely order fulfillment is essential for customer satisfaction. We offer comprehensive order management solutions, including receiving, each pick and pack, case pick and pack, full pallet pick and pack, and break bulk. This flexibility enables us to handle orders of any size or complexity, ensuring clients’ products are packaged and delivered on time to meet the unique needs of their business.

Order Consolidation

As with consolidation during the cross-docking process, order consolidation involves combining products from multiple suppliers together into one shipment. Think about an ecommerce order for products that came from different suppliers but are being sold online by a retailer. That retailer may ask its 3PL partner to pick the quantities required from each of the stored products and pack them together under one shipment. Similarly, order consolidation can also mean combining multiple orders from one customer into one shipment. If the same customer places multiple orders in a day or over the course of two days, for instance, order consolidation would pack and ship all of the orders together, reducing the number of packages being shipped out and likely sparing the customer additional freight costs.

Value-Added Services

Our value-added services provide important additional features that a client may need in order to maximize their product offerings, reduce costs, or meet market demands. From kitting and light assembly, to co-packing and re-packing, we tailor our services to create value at every step. These services enable clients to adapt to changing product requirements, brand marketing initiatives, and seasonal demands without disrupting their operations.

Kitting

Kitting involves bundling individual products together to be sold or handled as a single collection or unit. We provide kitting for clients that want to sell or provide combined items as one product rather than individual items. This can be done for retailers marketing and selling a bundle of products under one SKU, or clients who need us to create and ship “new customer, “new employee,” patient, or similar kits. For some clients, kitting involves packaging individual parts together (think of a model car kit that may need an instruction manual, individual parts, paint, and glue packaged together before being shipped out to a customer).

Light Assembly

Certain clients require light assembly services. Without needing complex machinery or tools, we are able to put together various components to make a finished product. Generally a client will provide the semi-finished goods and any necessary fasteners or labels, and our team will assemble the finished product.

Co-Packing

Certain clients need us to package their product on their behalf. This is called co-packing. We primarily provide co-packing for some of our clients in the plastics industry. However, we have co-packed for clients in other industries, as well, including retail and CPG.

Re-Packing

As with co-packing, much of the re-packing we do is for clients in the plastics industry. Whether breaking bulk or combining smaller containers into bulk packaging, we handle a great deal of re-packing in our daily operations. Like co-packing, re-packing is not confined to our plastics industry clients. At times, clients in other industries require us to re-pack product into different quantities, different assortments, or different packaging.

Re-Labeling

Sometimes our clients need us to re-label product. The reasons vary from errors, to private labeling, to re-pricing, to additional requirements for a specific market. Whether this involves removing an old label or adding an additional sticker or tag, our team is able to re-label products proficiently to meet client requirements without prolonging fulfillment time.

Reverse Logistics

We provide reverse logistics for clients who do not want to devote resources to handling this part of the supply chain. For retail clients, we handle product returns from customers. Depending on the reason for the return, product can be re-inventoried, exchanged, or returned to the retailer or manufacturer.

For energy sector clients, we recover material that can be salvaged and remove assets that are no longer functioning. We may repair assets, such as pipe, that can still be used; recycle components from assets, like meters, that are at the end of their lifespan; and safely dispose of material that cannot be recycled, refurbished, or upcycled.

Custom Solutions

For businesses facing unique challenges, we provide custom solutions designed to meet specialized logistical needs. Our custom offerings include emergency warehousing; overflow storage/disposal; crisis management; new operations staging; point-of-sale (POS) display building; and sampling, inspection, and testing. We adapt to our clients’ requirements, offering scalable solutions to help them navigate complex situations.

Freight brokerage

Our Transportation Management team handles freight brokerage services for existing warehousing and distribution clients, as well as other companies that need to outsource the movement of product within the U.S. and globally. Working with a trusted, vast network of carriers we are able to provide clients with dependable service at costs lower than they are able to negotiate on their own.

Serving Key Sectors

Our 3PL services are designed to serve high-demand industries, including CPG, energy & utilities, plastics, retail, and specialty chemical, as well as the industrial sector. We understand the unique needs and compliance requirements in these spaces, and deliver tailored solutions that help our clients stay competitive.

Unlock Your Growth Potential

Partnering with ASW is gaining a trusted logistics ally dedicated to helping companies achieve their business goals. From comprehensive warehousing & distribution management services to custom solutions, we provide the expertise, flexibility, and resources needed to enhance our clients’ supply chain and maximize efficiency. Our Akron-area warehousing and distribution services are primed to help both companies located in Northeast Ohio and companies who do significant business throughout the Midwest.