A parcel passes through several checkpoints on its journey from a retailer to the customer. The carrier facility is one of the most important milestones and acts as a hub where packages are sorted, processed and routed to their final destination. Whether your package originates in your city or from halfway across the world, it will probably pass through one or more carrier facilities before arriving on your doorstep.
This article delves into the world of carrier facilities. You’ll learn how they work, why they are so helpful, and their precise role in modern logistics.
What is a carrier facility?
A carrier facility is a central hub operated by carriers (like DHL and FedEx) and international logistics providers. These companies use carrier facilities to streamline their transportation processes, consolidate packages, organise them based on delivery type, optimise onward routes and manage transitions between delivery modes.
Typically, a carrier facility acts as a regional hub for a specific area, such as the southeast of England or the Midlands. Larger areas, like London, may have several carrier facilities.
Most carrier facilities are highly automated, using scanning systems, conveyor belts and analytics tools to process thousands of packages daily.
What does a carrier facility’s process look like?
Carrier facilities perform several functions and roles, which is why they play such an important role. Here’s a step-by-step guide through the process:
- Receiving packages: Packages arrive at a carrier facility from various sources, including retail stores, fulfilment centres, and other facilities within the carrier’s network.
- Scanning and sorting: Packages are scanned and entered into the system upon arrival. They are then sorted based on destination, size, and priority.
- Sending tracking updates: Carrier facilities act as milestones along a parcel’s journey, allowing retailers or logistics providers to notify customers their package is on the way. Once a package is at a facility, carriers can provide an accurate delivery time and date.
- Routing for transport: After sorting, packages are loaded onto vehicles or transferred to other transportation modes. Packages destined for nearby areas may be loaded onto local delivery trucks. Packages traveling longer distances might be sent to another facility.
What are the benefits of using a carrier facility?
Carrier facilities offer several advantages for businesses, shipping companies, and customers:
- Better efficiency: Retailers and carriers can deliver goods faster thanks to the carrier facility's ability to centralise, sort and route goods.
- Enhanced tracking: These facilities provide key checkpoints in the tracking process, offering transparency and peace of mind for customers and shippers.
- Reduced costs: Consolidating packages and optimising transportation routes at carrier facilities reduces overall shipping costs for logistics providers and, in turn, customers.
- Scalability: Carrier facilities can handle high volumes of shipments, making them essential during peak seasons like holidays.
How long do packages stay at a carrier facility?
The time packages spend at a carrier facility depends on several factors, including the destination, shipping priority and the number of other packages the facility must process.
Standard packages typically stay for a few hours (usually overnight) before being dispatched in the morning. Packages marked for express delivery will be processed even faster and will often leave the facility within an hour.
Delays can occur during peak shipping periods due to increased volumes and staff shortages. They can also occur due to weather disruptions and supply chain issues like a strike at a port.
Accelerate your delivery with Pro Carrier
Carrier facilities are the backbone of modern logistics, ensuring that packages are sorted, tracked, and routed efficiently. These facilities play a critical role in connecting businesses and customers worldwide, from improving supply chain visibility to reducing transit times
If you want to maximise the benefits carrier facilities offer, Pro Carrier can help. We understand the importance of efficiency, reliability and transparency in the delivery process and have designed our services to be as quick and traceable as possible.
We do this by combining cutting-edge technology with customer service excellence and a range of final-mile delivery partners.
You can manage everything from a single dashboard that integrates with your eCommerce platform. Edit orders on the fly and set daily collection times to get as many packages out of the door as possible.
Thanks to our Internal Gateway (our own carrier facility) you only need to affix one label to every package. We handle everything else, sorting, weighing, measuring and photographing each parcel before attaching final mile labels.
This also lets us send shipping information ahead of time, so your parcels sail through customs and board planes faster.
Speak to an expert today to learn more about how Pro Carrier can streamline your eCommerce delivery process.