ASTM E3056-16

Standard Guide for Strategic Warehousing

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This guide provides the considerations for the management of warehouses and warehouse contents.  
5.2 The central objective of this guide is to ensure that warehousing activities appropriately contribute to the mission of the entity.  
5.3 Measuring and managing the effectiveness of an entities’ warehousing activities should result in sustained usefulness of warehoused assets, reduced administrative costs, improved accountability, and enhanced operational performance.  
5.4 This guide makes a differentiation between the physical warehouse facility (also called “Real Property”) and the contents of the warehouse (also called “Personal Property,” “moveable asset,” “product,” or similar term that differentiates the contents of the warehouse from the physical structure of the warehouse itself). Considerations of both these aspects of the warehousing function must be coordinated to lead to effective warehousing activities.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide provides strategic considerations for effectively managing warehouse facilities and the contents of warehouses (collectively “warehousing assets”).  
1.2 This guide does not override or increase requirements specific to governmental authorities. To the greatest extent practicable, the guidance in this standard should be considered by these entities where efficiencies may be gained.  
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Mar-2016
• ICS: 55.220 - Storing. Warehousing
• Technical Committee: E53 - Asset Management
• Drafting Committee: E53.01 - Process Management

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E3056 − 16
Standard Guide for
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Strategic Warehousing
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E3056; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3.1.2 material handling equipment (MHE), n—equipment
that relate to the movement, storage, control and protection of
1.1 This guide provides strategic considerations for effec-
warehousing assets (for example, materials, goods, equipment,
tively managing warehouse facilities and the contents of
and products) throughout the process of manufacturing,
warehouses (collectively “warehousing assets”).
distribution, consumption and disposal.
1.2 This guide does not override or increase requirements
Modified from Wikipedia
specific to governmental authorities. To the greatest extent
3.1.3 warehouse, n—buildings or facilities used for storage
practicable, the guidance in this standard should be considered
of personal property assets, including supply distribution
by these entities where efficiencies may be gained.
centers, material storage facilities, and structures used for
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
storage of vehicles, equipment, and surplus assets. Also in-
as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
cluded are underground or earth-covered ammunition storage
standard.
bunkers and magazines. This category excludes water reser-
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the voirs and petroleum or gas storage tanks which are storage
structures.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
3.1.4 warehousing, v—the activity of storing, handling, or
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
otherwise utilizing a warehouse to focus on the management of
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
personal property assets contained within.
3.1.5 warehousing assets, n—the warehouse facility and the
2. Referenced Documents
materials or moveable assets housed within the facility.
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2.1 ASTM Standards:
E2715 Practice for Moveable Property Storage
4. Summary of Guidance
E2135 Terminology for Property and Asset Management
4.1 Effective warehousing activities require a sound busi-
ness case decision to store moveable assets for short- or
3. Terminology
long-term storage, operational staging, and other reasons.
3.1 Definitions: For additional definitions related to prop-
4.2 This guide outlines the scope of strategic warehousing
erty and asset management, refer to Terminology E2135.
activity; the numerous considerations provided here are not
3.1.1 business case, n—the sum of an entity’s review and
developed in detail as there is much to be said on each aspect.
analysis of pertinent facts and alternatives regarding a plan of
This guide is intended to ensure the entity is aware of the scope
action to be followed. The resources put into the business case
of warehousing considerations.
depend on the complexity of the situation and the potential
impact of the decision. A formal business case may be written 4.3 Entities should be able to realize significant cost savings
out in a structured and logical manner, whereas an informal
and increases in efficiency when warehouse facilities and
business case may be developed simply through conversations warehouse contents (collectively “warehousing assets”) are
and deliberations.
managed strategically and holistically.
4.4 Strategic management of these warehousing assets and
activities goes beyond simply providing needed items in an
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This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E53 on Asset
effectivemannerandatminimumcost;italsoentailsanoverall
Management and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E53.01 on Process
perspective that asks “do these items need to be warehoused?”
Management.
or “do these items need to be warehoused in this facility?”
Current edition approved April 1, 2016. Published May 2016. DOI: 10.1520/
E3056-16.
Savings and efficiency gains may be realized when the size of
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
the warehouse facility is reduced to the smallest size feasible
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
due to efficient operation of the warehousing activity and most
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. effective use of the space available.
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