In the world of warehouses, it is true that space equals money. As a warehouse manager, you must fully use your space so that no tiny corner goes undervalued. After all, you’re paying for it – so get the most out of it! The following article will explore ways to make the best use of your warehouse space.
4 Ways to Optimise Your Warehouse Space
Go Up With a Warehouse Mezzanine
Going up should be the first thing you do to maximise your space. You can do this in two ways: increase the height of your racking and install a mezzanine level.
Increasing the height of the racking is a more common option – it is certainly quicker and cheaper than installing another floor. However, you also need to consider the extra equipment that you might need, any additional staff training and whether you have the right safety protocols in place.
Installing a mezzanine level is more work and a more extreme solution to the problem. However, if you know you will be in the space for a very long time and higher racking is not a suitable option due to safety or other concerns, it is a viable solution to use the wasted space above you. Make sure it is constructed to withstand the storage weight and the activity you will be doing on that level.
Optimise Product Location
Making the best use of the available space will also be impacted by the location you choose for each product. The Pareto Principle is an important concept to remember, but you will need to have an accurate picture of your stock flow to implement it correctly. The 80/20 rule is that 80% of your outcome comes from 20% of your input. For a warehouse, 80% of your profit or workload comes from 20% of your products. These products need to be identified and put into strategic locations so that the interaction time for each is as low as possible.
On the other side of this, you will have products which are extremely slow to shift – put these in the least accessible parts of your warehouse; for instance, you could consider adding storage for these items over docking doors. Obsolete inventory should be removed straight away.
Container Size
This sounds simple but is easily overlooked – make sure that the container you are storing the product in is the right size for the product. This way, you reduce any wasted space within the containers. It might not seem like a lot, but overall it could add up to a few shelves (or more!) worth of space.
Reduce Aisle Width
When you carefully measure out your warehouse space to see if you can extend up to the ceiling and the right type of racks to get, have a look at the width of your aisles. Can you reduce them without sacrificing safety and productivity? If so, do it! You should also look to see if you are using the most suitable pallet racking for your needs – there are so many different types available now.
We Can Help With Your Warehouse Space
Each warehouse business is unique, and what you need from your space will differ from another firm. These ideas should be taken as starting points, but to really get the most out of your space, it is worth talking to warehouse organisation experts like AlphaStor.
We have the expertise to work out what you need and how to implement it in the best way. Working with a customer-focused company with the experience to produce unique solutions will give your warehouse business the boost it needs to take on the next challenge.
