mprovements in retail warehousing efficiency soon were adopted by manufacturing. For manufacturers, strategic warehousing offered a way to reduce holding or dwell time of materials and parts. Warehousing became integral to just-in-time (JIT) and stockless production strategies. While the basic notion of JIT is to reduce work-in-process inventory, such manufacturing strategies need dependable logistics support. Achieving such logistical support across a global market typically requires strategically located warehouses. Utilizing centralized parts inventory at a central warehouse reduces the need for inventory at each assembly plant. Products can be purchased and shipped to the strategically located central warehouse, taking advantage of consolidated transportation. At the warehouse, products are sorted, sequenced, and shipped to specific manufacturing plants as needed. Where fully integrated, sortation and sequencing facilities become a vital extension of manufacturing.