Three variables determine the warehouse charge: the type of goods, the area or tonnage they occupy, and the length of stay. A price given without knowing these three is not binding.
Handling, loading and unloading and any additional operation charges are added to that. A serious quotation shows these items separately; a quotation that gives a single total without opening it up produces surprises later.
Cost items
| Storage | Per m² or per tonne, by period |
|---|---|
| Loading / unloading | Per vehicle or per container |
| Handling | Per operation (sorting, labelling, packing) |
| Weighing and counting | Per operation or per consignment |
| Paperwork and reporting | Usually included in the service |
| Insurance | The operator's policy / additional cover |
Why the type of goods changes the price
Steel coil sits in a floor stack and is heavy; boxed goods go on racks and take up volume. The same square metre means a different workload and a different risk for two products.
Products sensitive to moisture, impact or fire also need extra protection, and that is reflected in the cost.
Time and total cost
The storage charge is directly proportional to time. But the charge is not the only figure to look at when deciding on a warehouse.
Set against it the cash advantage the deferred duty provides. On high-tonnage steel the deferral is usually larger than the storage charge.
How location affects cost
A warehouse with a low unit storage price but a distant location can take that difference back in road haulage. When you calculate total cost, add the distance from the port/rolling mill to the warehouse and from the warehouse to the buyer.
This is where the advantage of a location close to a production and port centre, such as the Gulf of İskenderun, shows itself.