With warehouse services needing to stay on top of today’s fast paced business of supply and demand, it is fundamental for companies to make sure that their warehouses are running smoothly and efficiently. In order to stay on top of the competition, it is imperative that there is a method to follow to keep the warehouse to a fast and high standard. Today we shall discuss common obstacles within most warehouse industries, and how you can overcome them.

Problem: Insufficient Warehouse Space

Having enough space for your inventory is essential if you want your business to run smoothly. If your warehouse is disorganised, it can come with many unnecessary labour costs you may not think about. An incorrect use of storage systems and racking arrangements can lead to a full warehouse with no room for any new inventory.

Solutions

Make sure that all popular items are stored towards the front of the warehouse. That way, you can get to it at ease, as opposed to searching through the back continuously. It is also a good idea to invest in narrow aisle equipment more than counterbalance machinery as by doing so you could save up to forty percent in space due to the size difference.

It would be a good idea to have a professional forklift company to come into your warehouse and evaluate the space. By doing so, you will be able to use the evaluation to decide what equipment is best for the pace available.

We have previously discussed the benefits of buying second hand racking systems. One of those reasons is that second hand allows you to mix and match a variety of systems to fit as much as you can in the space that you have.

Problem: Slow Picking Processes and Stock Discrepancies

Every minute you spend on each item of inventory can pile up during the space of a day. Not only may it feel like a waste, but it will also have an impact on operating costs. By not having an organised inventory location, you are causing your pickers to take longer when searching for necessary items. This can then lead to a backup of labour.

Solutions

Using barcode technology is a handy approach to eliminating multiple processes and human handling. Accurately tracking inventory can minimise any potential discrepancies and increase efficiency when picking orders. By using handheld scanners, you can ensure that your inventory is correctly identified with minimal data entry errors.

Another solution is to follow a method of sequenced order picking. This method gives employees a picking list, which sequences to visits to each picking location within the warehouse. Doing so results in the process time being brought down to a minimum. The more planning ahead in the picking process, the less wear and tear the equipment will receive. You will also reduce costs in labour and time.

Problem: Warehouse Slotting Problems

Forklift operators spend a fair bit of time making multiple trips around the warehouse, searching for any available slots in storage racking for new inventory. This results in the inventory ending up in whatever space found, and lacks consideration as to whether it has been placed with the appropriate pallet family. The large inventory is left disorganised, with very little space to reorganise later on.

Solutions

It is important to pre-plan how you wish to arrange your inventory in order to prevent potential disorganisation. To do so you will need to identify the efficient locations for each individual  collection of inventory.

It is also important that you factor in specific product storage characteristics such as the pallet family it belongs to and any needed supplies. You may need to reconsider your storage and racking systems for your warehouse needs and layouts (think back to when we mentioned buying second hand racking systems).

If you are looking for the most efficient ways to keep your warehouse to a highly organised standard, why not take a look at our range of racking solutions? Monarch are here with a fine selection of brand new and second hand pallet racking systems to make utilise the your warehouse space. If you’re still unsure, why not give us a call to see how we can help you pick out the perfect racking products?