What is Cross-Dock?

A facility that selects and (re)combines a variety of items coming from various suppliers so that they can be shipped to the various customers, such as assembly plants, distributors or dealers.

A common example is a facility operated by a manufacturer with many plants in order to efficiently collect material originating from many suppliers. When a truck loaded with suppliers' products arrives, it is immediately unloaded and the products are taken to other trucks, which will head to different facilities.

A cross-dock is not a warehouse, because it does not store materials. Products are normally unloaded from incoming vehicles and moved to the vehicles that will carry them to other locations in just one step or move. If these vehicles leave very frequently, it may be possible to empty the cross-dock every 24 hours.

Related article: "Lean Logistics". Author: Nelson Takeuchi - Lean Institute Brasil. Read here the full article.

"Cross Docking - This is a logistics modality similar to a distribution depot; in other words, it is an improved version of simple cargo consolidation. But unlike cargo consolidation, in this modality there should be no storage: the trucks arrive at a platform made up of receiving and shipping docks. The loads are then quickly transferred directly from one truck to another; thus, despite the extra handling, intermediate inventory is avoided and the logistics operation is optimized, with good efficiency in the use of the load. It is widely used over long distances with different origins and destinations; that is, materials with a common destination are quickly consolidated on the platform itself. Therefore, the main merit of this modality is speed and transport in small lots and/or split lots.

Once again, controlling truck arrival, departure and in-transit status is essential for us to synchronize the operation. To implement it, we recommend using Standardized Work, implemented after a thorough analysis with the TCTP (Standardized Work Combination Table). Yes, that's right, it is yet another paradigm break. The TCTP is not applied only where man and automatic machine work are involved; it can indeed help in an analysis aimed at synchronizing the logistics operation."