As diverse as the warehousing industry can be, it is always refreshing and interesting to see how companies design their existing space to maximise use.
All over the world, the common complaint among warehouse managers is that of ‘having enough space‘.
The 4,000 square feet warehouse seemed humongous when you moved in, but now it feels like you are fast running out of space.
The knee-jerk reaction to that problem is to expand or move to another facility. Considering that moving a factory or distribution centre can easily land companies with six figure bills, an alternative should be considered. One often-overlooked way is to improve existing structures and practices to achieve desired ROI.
The average warehouse has up to 500 sq.ft. of ‘hidden’ space that can be carved out. Initial planning inefficiencies can be corrected and space reclaimed to give your business another competitive advantage. With the cost saved on storage costs, while keeping expenses relatively even, the overall bottom line is sure to increase.
The following are 5 of the most effective ways we have seen warehouse spaces increased:
- Installing A Mezzanine – A mezzanine can add another entire floor or three to your existing warehouse space. It can be defined as an intermediate floor, but can open up many opportunities for expansion. It can be used to house office stations or as extra storage, without a major factory refit. Contact Monarch Shelving for a quote on mezzanines for your business.
- Installing pallet racking OVER loading dock doors – A radical sounding idea, but one that actually works very well. It easily creates a storage area for equipment and/or stock that is rarely required. Got empty pallets stacked in the corner? Use a forklift to lift them up there. Got goods waiting to be picked up in a week? You can easily stash them up there.
This system helps reclaim up to 20% of the available space in your warehouse space, as you are installing them over each of the loading doors. Ensure that you engage the services of a qualified fitter and supplier to help design and install these as there may be unique building requirements.
- Tweaking the Pallet Rack – One of the two major problems in warehouses across the UK is the over loading of pallet beams. While this boils down to the preferred use of slotting technique utilized in your business, warehouses that use dedicated slotting can save up to an inch per level, by using a smaller beam. Think the space saved is too small? Multiply the one inch saving by the number of rows and bays you have, and it really adds up.
Another way is to adjust the space at the top of each beam. Allowing six inches for forklift clearance, get rid of any excess space and you will be surprised at how much space you save. This is easier in warehouses where items are assigned to fixed locations for picking.
- Using the Correct storage – Depending on the product to be stored, you can rethink your storage options. Small products e.g. Amazon books, Kindles, stuff up to 7 inches square can be stored in shelving and not on actual pallet racks. The advantage of using shelving is that it is generally thinner and takes up less space the traditional racking.
Shelving can also be modified to have drawers, cabinets, roll out drawers, and many other combinations. Employing a design consultant to assess your business area and how you can save space will become evident.
- Combine Storage options – Precious inches can be claimed back by simply improving inventory management,but by combining storage options like deep racking, double racking, with the use of mezzanines, you can create a multi deck shelving solution. This can lead to almost 40% increase in available space.
Granted that the choice of storage used depends on the types of goods processed, applying one or all of these methods will increase the available space. More space to process goods, faster turn around time, all equal a bigger profit margin. Confused about what to try first? Call Monarch Shelving today for an assessment and advice on improving your warehouse storage capacity.
