Material Handling

UNIVERSAL Processes
VAS WORK CENTER

Cross-Docking
Complex Retail or Manufacturing transportation networks (consisting of multiple suppliers shipping to a customer with multiple
receiving locations) can benefit significantly from employing Cross-dock facilities. If suppliers send LTL shipments to each
destination, it maximizes transportation costs. If suppliers ship in truckload quantities to each destination, it maximizes storage
and carrying costs for the buyer.
Cross-docking allows the customer to buy just the quantities that they need for each location and minimizes the transportation
costs for all parties. It allows suppliers to ship in economic quantities. A supplier consolidates the orders for all of the
customer’s destinations into a truckload and sends that load to the Cross-dock. The Cross-dock, then deconsolidates that load
into individual shipments for each unique destination.
The individual shipments are moved directly from the inbound dock to the outbound dock, avoiding the need to store and
replenish them in a warehouse (and avoiding the putaway and picking processes). The Cross-dock then consolidates the
smaller shipments from multiple suppliers into full loads, then moves them on pre-appointed schedules, and in truckload
quantities, direct to the manufacturers’ plants or the retailers’ DCs.
Both transit and scheduling are tightly-controlled. Our Cross-dock facilities maintain a master dock schedule by time and dock
for inbound and outbound shipments with standing “windows” for live unloading. Traffic flow paths are optimized for minimum
travel time, reduced congestion, and increased safety. Universal does not hold inventory in its Cross-docks. All inventory that
comes in during a day goes out that same day.

586-920-0100 | UniversalLogistics.com | 12755 East 9 Mile Road | Warren, MI 48089 1

 Material Handling
UNIVERSAL Processes
VAS WORK CENTER

Cross-Docking

Inbound Truckloads from Suppliers Inbound orders are deconsolidated by Outbound Orders are consolidated
1 contain orders for all destinations 2 destination and moved to the appropriate 3 by destination, loaded on the
outbound Truck appropriate Truck and dispatched
on a pre-set schedule

586-920-0100 | UniversalLogistics.com | 12755 East 9 Mile Road | Warren, MI 48089 2