To those who are not as experienced in the matter, it may seem that warehouse storage design is relatively easy to get the gist of. However, detail plays a crucial role and can be overlooked by many. This can lead to recurring excessive costs, whether it be financial or timely.
It may be difficult to detect poor design due to how smooth the operation runs. The weaknesses of the warehouse storage design are not obvious at first sight. If you want your warehouse storage facility to succeed, you need to implement detailed planning.
Planning your Warehouse Storage Design
One of the issues with putting together a detailed plan is establishing metrics for volume and flow. This is because an enterprise may fail to provide the required data that is needed. It can be quite difficult to estimate, which is one of the reasons why it is highly suggested to engage with as many people as possible. The justification of warehouse storage design features may depend on this information. As a result, it must be exposed to all stakeholders for critique and challenge, and to obtain the consensus insofar as possible.
5 Core Principles
There are many essential things to consider and include when it comes to your warehouse storage design and layout. These top-level headings are umbrellas of many sub-items but knowing these will allow you to avoid the more common issues and avoid forgetting anything important.
Be aware of your Requirements
This may seem straight-forward, but you must analyse and specify the necessities before you can go ahead with any of the design work. You can begin by clarifying the primary objective of the warehouse. In other words, what is the intended business function? Is it a standard online shop, wholesale clothing or perhaps even food storage? A factory warehouse will have different requirements that will differ from the kind that operates as a distribution centre. Regardless of the purpose of your warehouse storage design, there are many things you must identify. These are things such as the main processes that you must cater to, the volumes and capacities, plus the equipment.
Flow is Essential
If you face congestion issues, you will also face delays. What’s more, you could even face a severe loss of productivity. There have been many incidents where warehouse staff have been tempted to prioritise capacity by fitting in as much storage as they can. As a result, you lose accessibility.
A blockage that costs even one-minute several times a day can equate to a financial hit when done continuously throughout the year and more. Straight line access for forklifts from the goods inward bays to storage racks and one-way flow for picking are just two considerations that have the potential to be priorities.
Close to Zero Touches
Any materials handling operation would aim to minimise the number of necessary touches throughout the warehouse life of a product. Perhaps no touches would be an impossible goal, but two or three is somewhat achievable.
Vertical Space
As we have mentioned many times before, you can get the most out of your warehouse storage space by working your way upwards! This is a fantastic way to get more in your warehouse facility! Why? Because you will invest in extending the building or moving to an entirely new location.
Hear what Others have to Say
Turn to a wide range of stakeholders for advice, including external, who use your existing warehouses on a regular basis. Everyone who has contact with your distribution system has the potential to be a useful source for new perspectives. these perspectives could maximise productivity. You could also bring in a professional and experienced designer. This is so they can pay dividends for the next 5 to 20 years through the smooth and flexible operation. Professional designers will also have experience with new technology and materials handling equipment options.
Talk to Monarch Shelving Ltd
To find the best warehouse storage options for your facility, look no further. Monarch Shelving Ltd is here to provide you with the best in brand-new and second-hand pallet racking and shelving options to keep operations running smoothly. Get in touch today and see how we can help.
