Warehousing performance isn’t defined by square footage alone. Behind every efficient layout, safe workflow, and scalable operation is a deliberate engineering approach designed to support long-term performance.
At Coastal Logistics Group (CLG), our internal industrial engineering team serves as a strategic partner to operations—working behind the scenes to continuously improve safety, efficiency, and service quality across our warehousing network. By combining data-driven analysis with hands-on collaboration, engineering plays a critical role in ensuring our facilities are built to perform today while remaining flexible for what’s next.
Within CLG, industrial engineering functions as an internal consulting resource to the business. The team works closely with operations, safety, and leadership to identify opportunities for improvement and evaluate how processes, layouts, and technologies impact day-to-day performance.
This role is rooted in three core objectives:
Protecting quality by designing processes that support consistent, repeatable execution.
Rather than reacting to issues after they arise, engineering is embedded in proactive planning and continuous improvement efforts across CLG’s warehousing operations.
Warehousing environments are dynamic, and at CLG, they are continuously studied and refined. Engineering assessments are not limited to annual reviews—they are ongoing.
Our team regularly evaluates operations through:
This combination of data analysis and on-site observation allows CLG to address inefficiencies early and adapt quickly as volumes, customer requirements, and service profiles evolve.
A core focus of industrial engineering is optimizing how work moves through the warehouse. This goes beyond physical layout to include how information flows between systems, teams, and customers.
Typical evaluations include:
To support these efforts, CLG’s engineering team leverages tools such as process flow diagrams, value stream mapping, time studies, CAD drawings, and simulation software. These tools help visualize current-state operations and model future-state scenarios before changes are implemented—reducing risk while maximizing impact.
New technology is only effective when it supports real operational needs. At CLG, decisions to implement new tools or processes are grounded in a structured, data-driven approach.
Before moving forward, the engineering team builds a clear business case by:
This approach has driven recent investments in AI-enabled camera systems, new lift equipment, expanded project cargo capabilities with the addition of a reach stacker, specialized packaging tools such as the industrial panel saw, and advanced software systems—while also supporting continued evaluation of automation opportunities to meet future growth.
Engineering insights are only valuable if they lead to real improvements. One example comes from CLG’s work supporting a high-volume paper operation.
The engineering team developed a simulation model of the end-to-end paper handling process, allowing operations to analyze capacity constraints, test different strategies, and proactively adjust workflows. Since its implementation, the model has evolved into a living tool that supports improved throughput, consistent service levels, and informed decision-making as operating conditions change.
In another case, a customer came to CLG after experiencing repeated product damage with other providers due to the complexity of handling their freight. CLG’s engineering team partnered closely with operations and the customer to design a tailored packaging solution. The result was a more efficient handling process that delivered measurable value for the customer by significantly reducing damage claims, while strengthening operational performance.
At CLG, industrial engineering is an ongoing discipline guided by our core values of safety, intelligence, diligence, and excellence, helping our warehousing operations remain efficient, adaptable, and built for long-term performance.
By combining data-driven analysis, hands-on collaboration, and practical execution, CLG’s engineering team helps transform warehousing from a static function into a strategic advantage—one designed to support customers today and scale confidently into the future.
As this warehousing series comes to a close, one thing is clear: smart warehousing is built intentionally, engineered thoughtfully, and continuously improved.
Coastal Logistics Group (CLG) is a leading provider of comprehensive supply chain solutions, specializing in warehousing, transportation, and niche logistics services. With strategic hubs in Savannah, Charleston, and Norfolk, CLG offers unparalleled access to America's largest and fastest-growing ports. Services include advanced drayage, efficient distribution, and nationwide transportation, tailored for complex freight and on-site logistics. We creatively engineer and deliver seamless, systematic, and speedy solutions that drive business forward. For more information, please explore our website or request a quote.