Find the Best Wisconsin 3PL Warehouses & Fulfillment Centers

Fulfillment Companies in Wisconsin – Benefits of this Midwestern State

Logistics and fulfillment have become bigger industries in the last few years as our supply chain for goods becomes more and more international.  Goods shipped around the world are drop-shipped to certain locations, using pre-arranged partnerships with companies that are unfamiliar with your specific needs.  However, for Midwest and Wisconsin based companies, hiring Fulfillment Companies in Wisconsin provides huge benefits over hiring international (primarily Asian) or out of state logistics firms.

Here is why you should consider a 3PL solution located in Wisconsin:

• The state of Wisconsin has its own unique weather and transit. From Milwaukee to Green Bay, from Madison to La Crosse, from Eau Claire to far off Red Cliff, Wisconsin is a large and varied state.  It is one of the largest states with 5.7 million square miles of area.  It is bordered by two great lakes, Superior and Michigan, which allows for additional shipping options.  However, the biting cold winters create many road blocks and delays.  Only local players know how to navigate the weather and rough terrain.  For international or coastal logistics providers, they will simply have to wait out any bad weather or rough terrain.  Local fulfillment centers have the advantage is knowing the most favorable routes.  They can cut shipping times by days, which saves a tremendous amount of money.
• Wisconsin fulfillment gives you immediate access to a large Mid-Western with a main transportation axes. The Wisconsin and Southern Railroad is a major route that links Milwaukee with the rest of the Mid-West including Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit and St. Louis.  This route along with standard trucking routes puts many Wisconsin fulfillment centers within convenient distance of the lucrative Mid-Western market.  Coastal logistics facilities require much greater time and expense to reach these metropolitan hubs.
• Wisconsin is competing with other Mid-West states as a hub for logistics. Wisconsin competes primarily with Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin as a hub for logistics in the center of the country.  As a result, local 3PL services provide competitive warehouse solutions and keep up to date with the best warehouse management practices, software and technologies.  You will also have access to a wide selection of facilities and locations throughout the state of Wisconsin due to the many industrial and commercial zones available in the area.  Wisconsin 3PL personnel are more and more professional and provide a continually improving service.
• Being near Canada is another advantage to consider. Canada is the largest trading partner of the United States.  The US-Canada border is also the largest friendly border in the world.  Wisconsin borders Canada, providing the ability for easy trucking and rail into the country.  Flights to major metropolitan cities in Canada on both the East and West coast are much more convenient than from other parts of the US.  Toronto, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec and even Vancouver are between one and three hour flights from Milwaukee.  Compared to logistics hubs like New York, Los Angeles or Miami, this is extremely convenient.

Railways and Highways in Wisconsin Make Warehousing in Wisconsin Strategic

Near the Port of Milwaukee above, you have some major highways that provide direct pipelines to all the major cities throughout Wisconsin. Highway I-94/794 goes right into the port, which gives you fast distribution via truck. Other service roads aren’t far away since many exits to these roads are just a short distance from the port’s entrance.

Other local highways connect directly to cities in other nearby states for easy transportation to places like Chicago and into Minnesota. You can even get products delivered to Indianapolis, Indiana within only a few hours.

Major railways are directly connected to the above port as well. With the port owning about 13 miles of track, the main lines connect to the main port property. The railway lines include Union Pacific Railroad and Canadian Pacific Railway for fast rail service up into not only Montreal, but also the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

What to Look For in the Best Fulfillment Companies in Wisconsin

But location alone isn’t the only consideration when outsourcing 3PL, warehousing, fulfillment, and shipping in Wisconsin. At WarehousingAndFulfillment.com, we specialize in painlessly matching you with the best fulfillment centers in Wisconsin for your company’s specific needs. In addition to location, we match businesses based upon:

• Years in Business
• Number of Customers
• Annual Order Volume
• Customer Retention Rates
• Order Accuracy Rates
• Inventory Accuracy Rates
• Shipping Accuracy Rates

And performance metrics aren’t the only consideration we take into mind. We also match you with companies that are best suited for the products you sell, the channels you sell through, the technologies you use, and any other requirements necessary. Get in touch with your ideal matches today – fill out a request for quotes or call us for FREE matches and quotes!

Best Cities in Wisconsin for Your 3PL Warehousing

Fulfillment Companies in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Eau Claire

The most popular location to hold warehouses and fulfillment centers is Milwaukee due to the population density, the market size, the major airport and rail center. However, other fulfillment centers are located in Madison, Green Bay and Eau Claire due to their proximity to other states. They also tend to have more educated populations to manage warehouses and shipping. Madison especially is home to the state’s flagship university and turns out many educated graduates every year.

Wisconsin is located in the Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. The state has diverse geography with Northern Highland, Western Upland, Central Plains and extensive shoreline. With access to an expansive multi-modal transportation network, and an ideal location for access to the U.S., Canada and Mexico, Wisconsin is an ideal location for warehousing services companies.

Interstates including I-39, I-41, I-43, I-90 and I-94 aide ground transportation. Freight rail service is available through BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, Canadian Pacific Railway, East Troy Electric Railroad, Escanaba and Lake Superior Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad, Wisconsin Northern Railroad and Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad.

Ports and commercial waterways are a key part of Wisconsin’s inter-modal transportation network. According to the Wisconsin Commercial Port Association, “Wisconsin’s location, bordered on three sides by commercially navigable waterways, perfectly situates it to benefit from water transportation. Wisconsin’s ports serve as centers of ship building, commercial fishing, ferrying services and the efficient transport of bulk goods. Each year, Wisconsin ports handle over 30 million tons of cargo valued at over $2.4 billion.”

While Wisconsin is known worldwide for cheese, the economy is more diverse, driven by manufacturing, agriculture, and health care. The state’s economic output from manufacturing was $48.9 billion in 2008. Manufacturing accounts for about 20% of the state’s gross domestic product. Several cities stand out as top locations for warehousing services companies in Wisconsin including Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay.

Milwaukee Public Warehousing

Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin; it is located along the western shore of Lake Michigan. Astronautics Corporation of America and Brady Corporation, both of which have headquarters in Milwaukee, and Wisconsin Plating Works Inc., Racine, have each received awards for manufacturing excellence in the Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year competition. Privately held Astronautics, a major supplier of government and commercial avionics, was honored for its high-technology research and development program. The city is also well known for its brewing industry.

Three of Wisconsin’s Interstates intersect in Milwaukee, I-94, I-43 and I-41 approved in 2015, follows I-94 north from the state line before turning west and north to head to Green Bay. Milwaukee has two airports, General Mitchell International Airport on the southern edge of the city, and Lawrence J. Timmerman Airport. The Port of Milwaukee, handles commercial freight and in 2014, 2.4 million metric tons of cargo passed through its municipal port. Milwaukee is served by several railroads including Canadian National, Union Pacific and Wisconsin Southern Railroad.

The Port of Milwaukee – Access to Madison, Green Bay, Appleton and Beyond

This port on the western shore of Lake Michigan gives you exemplary service in transportation and distribution with a devoted team of professionals. They cover goods distribution into the Western Great Lakes as well as through inland waterways. Even more convenient is they provide a water route up into Montreal, Canada as well, giving you a chance to corner Canadian markets not far away.

Using inland river barges, they ship goods as far as the U.S. Gulf. They do this by using the Illinois River that connects to the Mississippi River. In total, it takes only 10 days to reach those regions with a dedicated tow.

The port has 330,000 square feet of space for general cargo as just starters. They also provide every type of distributive service from warehousing to container stuffing.

The Port of Milwaukee is also near prominent highways and Class I railroads you’ll want to know about later.

Madison, Wisconsin Pick and Pack Fulfillment

Madison is the capital of Wisconsin; it is located in the southern part of the state. The economy of the city is growing, particularly in the areas of high-tech, health, biotech and advertising. Many businesses are attracted to Madison’s skill base, taking advantage of the area’s high level of education. 48.2% of Madison’s population over the age of 25 holds at least a bachelor’s degree.

Interstates I-39 and I-90 intersect with I-94 connecting the city to Milwaukee, Chicago, Rockford, Illinois, and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Wisconsin and Southern Railroad and Canadian Pacific Railway provide railroad freight services to Madison. Madison is served by the Dane County Regional Airport and Morey Field in Middleton.

Green Bay, Wisconsin Warehousing Companies

Green Bay is located at the mouth of the Fox River, which enters into Lake Michigan. Green Bay is an industrial city with a port on Green Bay, an arm of Lake Michigan known locally as “the Bay of Green Bay”.

Ground transportation is aided by several interstates including I-43 and I-41. Railroads in the area include Canadian National and Escanaba & Lake Superior. Green Bay-Austin Straubel International Airport serves Green Bay. Green Bay is served by the Port of Green Bay. The port handled 1.99 million tons of cargo in 2015. The primary shipments into and out of the port include coal, limestone, salt, and cement.

Brown County Port of Green Bay 3rd Party Warehousing and Fulfillment

Here you have another important port in Wisconsin next to the prominent city of Green Bay. Touted as the western-most port near Lake Michigan, you have 14 port businesses here along the Fox River. Two million tons of cargo go out of the Port of Green Bay every year, which proves the area’s vitality.

Another positive aspect to this port is they work hard to promote harbor improvements to bring economic growth to the Green Bay area and Northeastern Wisconsin. They use sustainable methods and affordable technology to make it attractive to new businesses who want to contribute to the well-being of the local economy.

Key Fulfillment Data in Wisconsin

Choosing the best 3PL warehouse in Wisconsin is a complex decision. Below is summary information about Wisconsin population, number of warehouses, and taxes so that you can make a more informed decision about whether the state offers your company the best fulfillment services potential.

To get an idea of the types of companies that operate in Wisconsin, check out the top 10 largest companies in the state.

Average Fulfillment and Warehousing Pricing in Wisconsin

The below table gives a high-level idea of what average rates might look like in Wisconsin for fulfillment services, based upon surveys of outsourced warehousing companies throughout the US.

3PL Companies in Wisconsin: Find Your Best Match

Wisconsin offers several advantages as a warehousing hub, including its extensive inter-modal transportation system. Access to shipping via road, rail, air and water give companies the ability to reach customers worldwide. Wisconsin is a warehousing and manufacturing hub with a growing economy. Low costs, business incentives and accessing key markets make the state an ideal location.

Finding 3PL warehouse companies in Wisconsin is a smart move, because it’s a strategically located state to deliver your products to the Midwest. With proximity to important Midwestern states like Iowa and Minnesota, plus Chicago, Michigan to the south, you can tap a lot of important markets in this part of the United States.

As with all states, finding 3PL companies is fairly easy. The challenge is finding one that meets your technological and distribution needs. You may find one in an advantageous area of Wisconsin you think is perfect. Yet, after working with them, you may end up realizing they can’t meet your requirements.

You need a more thorough vetting process before signing a contract, and we can help here at WarehousingAndFulfillment.com. We’re also here to show you the benefits of choosing a 3PL Warehouse in Wisconsin. With various useful ports and byways connected to major cities in-state or out, you’ll see why America’s Dairyland is perfect for distributing goods.

We are happy to help you with more information on the best locations for warehousing services companies and get you connected with your best matches for price quotes. For more information, please contact us. Our friendly consultants will walk you through our system and how we can best help your organization get the most value from your logistics. Our convenient Wisconsin fulfillment location is sure to meet your every need.