Logistic site [the complete guide]

According to the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion: "Logistics is an essential link in the merchant circuit, it is a vital organ for the functioning of our society, businesses, and territories". France, endowed with a strategic position, has 3 large maritime facades including the ports of Dunkirk, the port of Le Havre and the port of Marseille. This position makes it a main player in European exchanges.

For a Supply Chain to be set up, a large number of different actors must be brought together to carry out specific tasks throughout the process.

We will find upstream the supply of raw materials to the place of manufacture. This supply can be done by sea, rail or road.

Then, the second stage will take place within the production plant where the product will be assembled and where the preparation of the orders will be made. In the case of logistics outsourcing, the product will be routed to a logistics platform which will ensure its storage and shipment to the next stakeholder in the supply chain before the end customer, or directly to the end customer in some cases.

A special focus on the logistics site

The logistics site is a lively place since it will host many interactions between incoming flows and outgoing flows. Each logistics site will have its own particularities, depending on its location, its storage capacities, and above all the type of goods it can accommodate (bulk, fresh products, dangerous products, etc.).

A logistics site is made up of:

A truck unloading area

The truck unloading area is recognizable thanks to its numerous docks. These are numbered and allow truck drivers to go to the right place to load the packages corresponding to the delivery note they allow.

An unloading area

The loading area is the same as the truck unloading area. The difference is that the containers can be deposited on the logistics site by means of road trucks coming from multiple places (factory, port detainees, etc.) but can also be deposited by yard tractors which ensure movement between the container yard located on the logistics site and the unloading docks.

The importance of the logistics warehouse in the logistics site

A logistics site can include two types of buildings. First of all, there are the so-called logistics warehouses. These are buildings in which the goods will be stored for at least 24 hours. They will be stored in racks on which the pallets will be stacked. The latter will remain there until the loading of the goods during orders.

Logistics platform: definition and usefulness for the logistics site

Then there is a building called the logistics platform. This will only accommodate the goods for a short time since it will only transit on the platform. We are therefore talking about working in tight flow. This method has a name: “cross-docking”, the packages will be redistributed quickly to the end consumer avoiding any storage period on the logistics platforms.

The loading area

The loading area is done in most logistics sites through recessed docks. The truck will come and put the back of its trailer on the threshold of the quay to facilitate the loading of the goods. The pallets will be arranged in such a way as to load the truck or container as quickly as possible.

The loading area is also used as an unloading area.

To ensure the smooth running of the supply chain, many players ensure the proper transmission of information with the aim of improving efficiency and reducing the margin of error.

The different jobs of a logistics site

Within the inventory and location management division, there is:

• Order pickers
• Drivers
• Handlers
• Operations managers

Within the logistics office, there are:

• Administrative agents
• Pilot operating agents
• Billing agents

Within the decision-making office, there is:

• Logistics site manager
• Sales manager
• Commercial
• Human resources manager
• An accountant

Within the transport office, there are:

• Charterers
• Transport operators
• Container dispatchers

Geographic locations

The decision of where to set up a logistics base is strategic. It corresponds to the needs of the company and proves to be a determining factor for its economic future. Depending on the specialization and the needs of its customers, it will choose the appropriate location.

Positioning your logistics site close to an air freight hub (core of a transport system) such as Paris or Toulouse can be useful for service providers specializing in the import / export of goods by air. This is a considerable advantage when you know that air trade represents only 2% of the volume of world goods but ⅓ of the income from international trade (source: Bulletin de l'Association de Géographes Français)

Similarly, setting up at a road hub also has its advantage. It will make it possible to centralize truck arrivals and the receipt of goods at a strategic location to send them back to the distributor. A logistics site can therefore be close to manufacturing plants or even in the center of France to be able to connect the various ports and borders as quickly as possible. A central position appears to be optimal when we know that France is a hub for European trade.

Finally, an installation close to a port area guarantees many advantages. The logistics base benefits from the flow of maritime containers arriving by merchant ship, but also from the flow of trucks from Europe. Thus, a location in the port of Le Havre or the port of Fos-sur-Mer is highly strategic. The XP LOG company has understood this well since it is present around the two ports of Le Havre and Fos-sur-Mer.

The advantage of a logistics site in the port area

The example of the port area of ​​Le Havre

XP LOG, being located in the HAROPA-port area, the 1st logistics hub in France benefits from many advantages.

Indeed, its location close to a seafront but also along the Seine-Marine axis ensures its proximity to port terminals. Port traction is carried out directly by the dockers, which limits transport costs and speeds up the arrival of the container on site. Indeed, the lack of port and road congestion makes the terminals more accessible.

In addition, this zone confers attractive taxation, which explains its ultra-competitive character and brings together all companies combined with more than 16,000 hectares of surface area.

As for the workforce, it is qualified and trained locally thanks to the presence of schools specializing in the area, which train the forklift operators, logisticians, logistics engineers of tomorrow and many more.

You will find more information about XP LOG services in our “logistics” section.