Warehousing is important to your business. You need freight storage solutions and transloading services around Charleston, South Carolina for your cargo going through the port. And you’re not alone.
The Port of Charleston is a bustling hotbed of imports and exports. In fact, Charleston was one of the busiest U.S. seaports in 2023. Since there’s so much activity, warehousing service companies — which also commonly offer drayage, transloading, cross-docking, container stripping and a myriad of other services — aren’t hard to come by in Charleston.
Companies like yours, with freight to manage and customers waiting, have plenty of options for warehousing in and around Charleston. But too many options isn’t really a good thing to have.
Here at Anderson Trucking Service (ATS), our logistics company, ATS Logistics Services, Inc., offers warehousing and other cargo management services in Charleston, SC via two warehouses — one is located in Ladson, the other is in Summerville.
We’ve been operating out of these locations for more than a decade, offering a suite of services to a diverse customer base.
We’re confident that our services — including container packing/stripping, drayage, storage, distribution, etc. — are industry-leading and can make your life easier. That said, we also recognize there are plenty of other options for warehousing in Charleston. And some really good ones at that.
In this article, we’ve listed eight great warehousing service providers in the Charleston, South Carolina area to get you started. You’ll also learn what to think about when choosing which company to utilize. These companies are listed alphabetically.
8 Warehousing and Transloading Companies in Charleston
- Brown Distribution Centers (BDC)
- Davis Brothers Logistics
- Dockside Logistics
- Expeditors International
- Kontane Logistics
- MainOcean
- Premier Logistics Solutions
- Sunland Logistics Solutions
Brown Distribution Centers (BDC)
Brown Distribution Centers is a logistics, warehousing, distribution and transportation company that provides efficient supply chain solutions for businesses across industries. With a focus on cost-effectiveness and reliability, they offer transportation, warehousing, distribution, freight management and supply chain consulting. Brown Distribution Centers optimizes supply chain operations, leveraging a vast network of partners and emphasizing safety and sustainability.
*Number of Locations: 2
*Services: Transloading, warehousing, distribution, storage, cross-docking
*Headquarters: Ladson, South Carolina
*Years in Business: 50+
*According to Brown Distribution’s website
Davis Brothers Logistics
Davis Brothers Logistics specializes in export packaging, project cargo, warehousing and overland trucking. Although they’re headquartered in Savannah, GA, Davis Brothers also provides logistics services in Charleston, SC.
*Number of Locations: 2
*Services: Warehousing, project cargo, trucking, export packaging
*Headquarters: Savannah, Georgia
*Founded: 2018
Dockside Logistics
Dockside Logistics provides logistics and supply chain solutions. With expertise in transportation, warehousing and supply chain management, they streamline and optimize the movement of goods for businesses. Dockside Logistics also offers end-to-end supply chain management solutions, leveraging technology for real-time tracking and visibility. They serve sectors such as retail, automotive, manufacturing and consumer goods. Dockside also has a location in Houston, TX.
*Number of Locations: 4
*Services: Warehousing, distribution, cross-docking, transloading, packing, crating, drayage
*Headquarters: Charleston, South Carolina
*Founded: 2005
*According to Dockside Logistics’ website
Expeditors International
Expeditors is an international third-party logistics company. Based out of Seattle, WA, Expeditors offers supply chain, warehousing transportation, freight forwarding and customs brokerage services to companies around the world. In fact, Expeditors appears on our list of top freight forwarding companies for 2023. Expeditors is the largest company on this list with more than 19,000 employees across 101 countries.
*Number of Locations: 346
*Services: Air, ocean and ground transportation, customs brokerage, warehousing
*Headquarters: Seattle, Washington
*Founded: 1979
*According to Expeditors’ website
Kontane Logistics
Kontane Logistics is a third-party logistics company that’s local to the Carolinas; Kontane was founded in Raleigh, NC. Today, Kontane is a growing company that offers a number of services for companies shipping freight through Carolina ports. Kontane owns and operates one warehouse in Charleston as well as three others in Statesville, NC, Columbiana, AL and McAllen, TX.
*Number of Locations: 5
*Services: Custom crating, warehousing, distribution, cross-docking, transloading, returnable container management
*Headquarters: Charleston, South Carolina
*Founded: 1974
*According to Kontane Logistics’ website
MainOcean
MainOcean is a provider of global shipping and logistics services. They offer comprehensive solutions for businesses requiring international transportation of goods including ocean freight services for both full-container load (FCL) and less-than-container load (LCL) shipments. Together with warehousing and distributions, MainOcean offers customs brokerage and compliance, assisting clients in navigating complex regulations to facilitate the smooth clearance of shipments.
*Number of Locations: 3
*Services: Warehousing, distribution, transloading, inland freight transport, bonded warehousing
*Headquarters: Hanahan, South Carolina
Founded: N/A
*According to MainOcean’s website
Premier Logistics Solutions
Based out of Charleston, Premier Logistics Solutions is a third-party logistics company offering services such as warehousing and fulfillment. Premier Logistics Solutions has four warehouses in the Charleston area as well as a private fleet of trucks, trailers and drivers. Founded in 2003, Premier Logistics Solutions was acquired in 2021 an infrastructure investment firm that continues to pour money into Premier’s business model.
*Number of Locations: 4
*Services: Fulfillment, warehousing, transloading, inland freight transport, bonded warehousing, freight brokerage
*Headquarters: Charleston, South Carolina
*Founded: 2003
*Premier Logistics Solutions’ website
Sunland Logistics Solutions
In 2022 Sunland Logistics celebrated 40 years in business. Offering services to companies in the retail, chemical, industrial, automotive and health industries is Sunland Logistics Solutions’ expertise in the Charleston area. While headquartered in Simpsonville, SC, Sunland Logistics operates a number of facilities across the U.S.
*Number of Locations: 16
*Services: Warehouse management, warehousing, eCommerce fulfillment, reverse logistics, supply chain visibility
*Headquarters: Simpsonville, South Carolina
*Founded: 1982
*According to Sunland Logistics Solutions’ website
How to Choose a Provider in the Charleston Area
Although you now have a list of companies to look at for warehousing and other logistics services in Charleston, your search is only beginning. You see, most companies struggle to find the correct provider for their needs, especially since there are so many to choose from in this area.
Honestly, not every company will fit your needs — you’re going to have to vet them properly.
While there are a lot of things you could be looking for, and your tactics should adjust to fit your specific needs, here are some general guidelines to consider:
- Capabilities: Consider each company’s capabilities and how they align with your needs. Do they offer the services you’re looking for?
- Growth Potential: Think about the growth potential of your relationship with each provider. If your needs change, or if you have a few, will you need to look elsewhere or do they have all of the services you need under one roof?
- Stability: The transportation industry is a volatile place. Does this logistics company have the financial stability to weather the market’s twists and turns, or will you be left looking for and learning a new provider soon?
- Labor: Does this provider have the headcount necessary required to service your needs efficiently? You’ll want a company that has the human capital to match your requirements over time. Otherwise, delays (and fees like demurrage) may occur.
- Industry Experience: Experience is an undervalued trait in the transportation world. Logistics is complex, making it imperative to understand its nuances to avoid delays and ensure efficiency. This is what you should look for in a logistics provider.
- Safety and Security: With something this important to your business, you need peace of mind that it’ll be stored, transferred and handled correctly. Be sure to ask questions about what each company does to ensure cargo security.
- Reputation: A company’s reputation matters. What others say about their experience should weigh into your decision-making process. Do your research, looking at reviews and referencing industry resources to acquaint yourself with each provider’s reputation.
- Technology: Investing in technologies to make themselves and their customers more efficient is what good third-party logistics providers do. You want to work with well-resourced companies that commit themselves to investing in technology when it makes sense.
- Customization Capabilities: Many companies in the Charleston area will customize their services to fit a customer’s specific needs. This may be worth pursuing if you’re hoping to gain some flexibility in your supply chain.
- Assess Your Current and Future Needs and Expectations: Great partnerships exist when companies understand what they’re looking for in another and take steps to find it. That’s why assessing your current needs, and what they may look like in the future, is crucial to aligning yourself with a provider that can truly meet them.
Get Everything You Need With One Point of Contact
Logistics is a core piece of your business. With so many variables at play, it’s important to work with logistics companies that fit your needs perfectly. Working with too many transportation companies makes it harder to gain widespread efficiencies.
While these companies are great in many respects, choosing one of them simply because they appear on this list won’t do you any favors. Instead, make sure to properly vet them, weighing their proficiencies against your needs.
ATS Logistics Services, Inc. also takes pride in offering top-of-the-line warehousing and logistics services from two locations in the Charleston area. Get in touch with us today if you’re looking for a logistics provider that:
- Has been in operation since 1989.
- Offers transloading, cross-docking, kitting, drayage, warehousing, supply chain management and distribution.
- Prioritizes quality service and transparency.
- Continuously invests in technologies to improve our customer performance
- Has been debt-free for decades.
- Can give you visibility through the lifecycle of your shipments via a cutting-edge customer portal.
