DRAKKAR Logistics, a renowned 3PL specializing in outsourcing of logistics activities in the form of five main service lines; fleet management, dock management, freight management, fulfillment management and talent management. The company provides tailored solutions on the customer’s site or in their own facilities. Technology, multidisciplinary teams, operational discipline and the pooling of resources are just a few of the factors that have distinguished them within the field.
The company has since added warehousing to its offer in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused a rapid flux in e-commerce demands these past few years which, in turn, created a shortage of storage space. Globally, companies were confronted with altering their business model, undertaking reactive measures, whereas DRAKKAR Logistics kept up with market trends and stayed abreast with the industry’s local, national and international needs in order to offer concrete and astute solutions.
“It was not about reinventing the business; rather, about responding to the industry’s needs and in this particular case, the need was for warehousing space supported by best-in-class technology such as WMS solutions.” said Michel Girard, President of DRAKKAR Logistics.
“We could not have predicted the pandemic nor the turn of events it unfolded. What was within our power, and still is today, was the ability to rally together, rely on our strengths and deliver business-relevant solutions.” added Mr. Girard.
Analyzing the effects of port delays, predicting supply chain behaviors, and evaluating demographics were factors in the company’s decision to acquire warehousing facilities. As of today, DRAKKAR Logistics has three warehouses in Canada. Its most recent, situated in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), spans 142,000 square feet of space.
“Toronto ranks within the top ten cities in the Americas with the largest industrial markets yet holds a less than 1% availability rate. The scarcity of space is critical in Toronto which is why DRAKKAR Logistics deemed it an ideal location to provide warehousing space especially for American compagnies who want to remain close to their Canadian customers. ” Added Martin Roy, Vice President Sales & Operations at DRAKKAR Logistics.
Geographical Location is Key! With price increases, companies are purchasing inventory in larger quantities and six to twelve months in advance resulting in the immediate need for short to medium-term storage space. DRAKKAR Logistics strategically opened its warehouse in Etobicoke, Ontario, to support the demographic. Toronto, being among the largest city in North America, is an optimal location for American companies to store inventory for their Canadian clientele as stock is readily available on Canadian soil. Proximity to railways and clients not only speeds up delivery times but also provides quality customer service on all fronts.
In the Greater Toronto Area, 13.7 million square feet of warehousing was delivered in 2022, however most of the space was pre-leased as the demand considerably exceeded the supply.
DRAKKAR Logistics’ Toronto warehouse has ample room to store dry goods among others. Furthermore, its short to medium-term storage fulfills temporary timeline requirements allowing for a relatively rapid flow of inventory. Complemented with a qualified and experienced team to safeguard goods during receiving, de-stuffing of containers, storing and dispatching, the warehouse also has twelve doors to facilitate inbound and outbound processes. While the location covers a vast area of square footage, the company uses their Warehouse Management System (WMS) to support the workers with data management, tracking and fulfillment of goods. A customer portal is available to allow some key activities to be triggered by client’s internal teams, if required. This speeds up the communication process.
One thing is certain, DRAKKAR Logistics was proactive in its initiative to develop warehousing solutions for its current and future clients as well as to create jobs in the logistics industry. With the increasing volume of goods and the need to move inventory in and out quickly, its three warehouses, especially the Toronto warehouse where available storage space is a rare commodity, has alleviated some of the warehouse capacity constraints. Beyond providing storage, the company also offers de-stuffing of containers as this service is currently in high demand.
This 3PL provider has demonstrated its resourcefulness, forward-thinking qualities and ability to leverage its expertise for the better of the economy, industry and ultimately, the end customer.
Their new Toronto warehouse is located at 134 Bethridge Road, Etobicoke, Ontario M9W 1N3 and has space available for rent.
Visit their website to discover more about DRAKKAR Logistics: https://drakkar.com/en/outsourcing/logistics