Positioning inventory in Thunder Bay leverages shorter inland transit to central Canada and the upper Midwest via port, rail and highway. This reduces ground transit miles for regional orders, enables LTL consolidation and can lower two-day ground shipping costs compared to routing from distant hubs, depending on SKU density and order profiles.

Expect multimodal options: Great Lakes port handling for seasonal and bulk movements, Class I rail interchange for long-haul freight, and provincial highways for local distribution. Evaluate rack access, container handling, scheduled sailings or rail departures, and LTL carrier networks to match your shipment mix and lead-time needs.

Focus on warehouse management system (WMS) integration, EDI/API connectivity, inventory visibility, and support for cross-docking and kitting. Also assess SLA metrics (order cycle time, pick accuracy, inventory days), customs brokerage experience, and scalability to handle peak volumes without degrading service.

Key cost drivers include storage rates (per pallet/sku), pick-and-pack fees, inbound receiving and handling, cross-dock/transload charges, seasonal labor premiums, and regional last-mile rates. Include freight lane modeling and landed-cost comparisons versus alternative hubs to quantify trade-offs in inventory positioning.