Is your warehouse or distribution center reactive, effective, responsive, or collaborative? According to warehousing expert Jeroen P. van den Berg, Ph.D., author of the new book Highly Competitive Warehouse Management, answering that question will help facility operators evaluate their current practices and determine what they must do to achieve best-in-class performance.

To help companies assess their current situation, van den Berg has developed what he calls the "Warehouse Maturity Scan." The scan—actually an online questionnaire—indicates a facility's current level of maturity and suggests areas for improvement, he said in a press release.

To date, over 500 warehouses and DCs have completed the survey, according to the book's publisher. Thirty-eight percent of them were identified as having the potential to achieve 10 to 20 percent savings, and 55 percent could achieve 20 to 30 percent savings in operating costs.

The book also provides a warehouse action plan that readers can use to move from one level of operational effectiveness to the next, van den Berg said. The plan focuses on the areas of workforce culture, process redesign, information technology, and supply chain alignment.

The 319-page book, published by Distribution Group, sells for $59.95. For more information, go to www.distributiongroup.com/highly_competitive_warehouse_management.php.