Where to Locate Your Warehouse and Distribution Center

Posted by CLN Solutions on June 18th, 2016

The case for establishing your warehousing and distribution activities in Charleston, SC

When determining where to locate your warehousing and distribution center there are a range of factors to consider that effect the overall performance of your supply chain.

The initial step in the process is to determine the objective of your warehousing and distribution operation. Is it to provide immediate product accessibility to clients? Is the objective to provide the lowest cost of delivery to customers? Or is it to account for supplier variability in production? Likely it is some combination of these, however, it is import to prioritize the objectives and then begin making decisions about the location of your warehouse in a manner that achieves those objectives in sequential order.

Below are a list of considerations that should be considered in determining where to locate your warehouse and distribution activities and in this case we are highlighting a number of distinct advantages that Charleston, SC warehousing provides distributors with both a regional and national scope.

Warehouse Proximity to Client Base – Regardless of whether the primary objective of your warehouse is to provide clients with immediate access to inventory or whether the objective is to provide a lowest cost solutions to product delivery, the proximity of the warehouse to the client base should be a top consideration. In the case of Charleston, SC warehouse provide distributors with access to nearly 60% of the U.S. population within a 24 hour drive. Overnight truck service as far north as New York, as far South as Miami and as far west as Chicago is an extensive reach for any location. Charleston, SC warehouses in effect are able to reach 200 million Americans within 24 hours driving as well as the major industrial markets of the East Coast and Midwest.

Proximity to Ports – Efficient and economical access to ports is an important consideration for any warehousing location. The result is quicker and a more timely turn of inventory. It also mitigates inland freight costs when the final destination of the material is not yet known at time of importation.  Charleston, SC warehouses provide access to a top 10 U.S. import and at the same time avoid many of the traffic and congestion issues faced in larger ports. 

Local Operating Costs – Operating and warehousing costs vary greatly between differing regions of the country. Logistics and transportation costs typically account for 10-20% of the total cost of the product. Determining where to establish warehousing and distribution activities will significantly impact the logistics costs. Charleston, SC warehouses are located in the Southeast and therefore benefit from many of the economical advantages of the Southeast and South Carolina more specifically. Many of the advantages that have encouraged the movement of Boeing, Volvo, Daimler, etc. to Charleston, SC are seen in warehousing and distribution activities.

There are a number of additional considerations that important in determining where to locate your warehouse and distribution activities. To learn more about your specific considerations and whether Charleston, SC is a viable option for your organization, please contact David Sitton, President of CLN Solutions.

About the Author:

David Sitton, is the president of CLN Solutions. At, CLN Solutions we offer services for clients who are looking for logistic and warehousing services in Charleston, SC.