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.
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