Industrial Storage Conundrum Sparks Imaginative Repurposing of Warehouse Spaces

Advanced Supply Chain International (ASCI) Optimizes Warehouse Space and Saves Clients Millions

Advanced Supply Chain International (ASCI), a leading supply chain management company based in Alaska, has been making waves in the industry by optimizing warehouse space and significantly reducing costs for its clients.

At the helm of ASCI is Rosita Johnson, the business development manager who oversees inventory worth over $300 million annually contained in warehouses. ASCI's end-to-end management approach minimizes conflicts with multiple contractors, saving clients valuable resources.

One of ASCI's key strategies is optimizing inventory levels to free up warehouse space. By carefully tracking more than 100,000 individual SKUs (stock keeping units) at any given time, ASCI helps clients reduce the amount of inventory that needs to be stored, thereby alleviating the warehouse space crunch.

The warehouse shortage in Anchorage, Alaska, is a result of the limited availability of developable land. Currently, there is approximately 12 to 13 million square feet of industrial property in Anchorage, with a vacancy of between 2 and 3 percent. This scarcity of space has been a challenge for businesses, particularly manufacturers that receive large orders but lack the necessary storage.

Creative solutions to the warehouse shortage include pooling resources, converting buildings originally used for something else, and finding underused buildings for tenants. An example of this is the former Sears warehouse at Old Seward Highway and Dowling Road, which was bought by Time Equities, Inc. in April 2022 and is now being transformed into an Amazon sorting facility.

ASCI's innovative strategies have not gone unnoticed. In 2022, the company was awarded a federal contract worth $12.4 million for one year to provide logistics service support for both military and civilian agencies in Alaska. The company has also saved its clients over $606 million in reduced costs over the last five years.

Under CEO and co-owner Christine Hopkins (or possibly Christine Pollack, according to some sources), ASCI became the Alaska affiliate of American Chain of Warehouses, Inc., a nonprofit service-matching organization, in 2013. The JC Penney warehouse on Arctic Boulevard in Midtown Anchorage, which sold to an out-of-state buyer last year, is one of the many warehouses ASCI manages.

However, the warehouse problem in Anchorage is not just about the scarcity of space. A feedback loop adds to the issue, as scarcity raises rent prices, which in turn discourages new construction. This is a complex issue that ASCI, along with other industry leaders, is working diligently to address.

In the face of these challenges, ASCI continues to make a significant impact, optimizing warehouse space and saving clients millions in the process. The company's commitment to innovation and efficiency is a beacon of hope for businesses in Alaska and beyond.