Take a fresh look at your warehouse this month!

It’s the start of a brand new month and that’s the perfect time to take a fresh look at how your warehouse is organised. Just because it’s always been laid out one way, doesn’t mean it has to stay the same forever. In fact, you might be able to make everyone’s life easier and work more efficiently by changing how you do things.

Ask your team

Start by asking the people on the front line for their comments. They might mention that there are storage areas which are difficult to get at, or perhaps that it’s silly to store your best seller right at the back of the warehouse rather than somewhere they can get at it quickly. It’s not rocket science, but unless you’re doing the job day in and day out, you just might not think about it.

Use your space wisely

Most of us start with a big, empty space that we go on to fill with boxes of all shapes and sizes – increasing the amount of stock we hold as our company grows. But how often do we really take stock of the floor space we have and review whether our layout really works for us? Not often, I bet. Many people even get to the point where they think they need bigger premises – yet in reality, a smarter floor plan is all they need to get extra space.

Divide up your space

You might find that your space would benefit from being divided up and zoned into separate areas. This might seem like a big job but it can be done easily and without any major building work, or great expense, by using steel partitions.

Whether you’re looking for a long term or just a temporary solution, they can help you create offices within warehouses, clean room environments or high security cages and private work areas. If you’re not sure what you need, just call us. We can visit your warehouse, then provide a full design and installation service for you. You can even make the most of the space you have by moving up rather than out with a mezzanine floor.

Time is money

Never forget that the key to a profitable business is efficiency. The less time it takes you to do a job, the more cost effective your operation will be. So follow our top ten tips to organise your warehouse and you’ll be able to turn it into a slick operation in no time at all.

Plan your storage

If everything was the same size and shape it would be easy. However you’re sure to be faced with boxes of all shapes and sizes with differing quantities of each item. By investing in different racking systems you can ensure each item only takes up the space it needs.

Colour code your areas

Give your warehouse operatives a helping hand by colour coding different areas to direct them to the right vicinity or show where different types of products are kept. You can even go a step further and create numbered bays. Just see what works best for everyone.

Give top products front billing

Don’t shove all your best sellers to the back of the warehouse. Keep them where they’re easiest to get at, preferably nearest to your packing or shipping area, and cut down on all that travelling time.

Keep it on the low-down

Also think about the height you store the products that you need to get at the most. It’s much easier to get to products which are stored lower down, minimizing the risk to your staff.

Put a label on it

If your warehouse stores hundreds of products, it’s worth investing in a warehouse management software programme that keeps everything labelled and tracked. Although it will mean a substantial up-front cost, it can substantially increase your productivity.

Onwards and upwards

If you’re short on space, don’t forget you can go upwards as well as outwards. With the correct racking systems you can double or even triple the amount of storage you have. You could even consider installing a mezzanine floor.

Park up your equipment

When they’re not being used, store your fork lift trucks or picking trolleys in designated areas, rather than clogging up your aisles where they’ll make picking more difficult and could even cause accidents.

For a few months only

If you deal with seasonal products, keep these in a separate area rather than having to create an area for them within your main warehouse, only to have to remove them later.

It’s all in the training

There’s no point in organising your warehouse storage if your staff mess it up by putting things in the wrong place. Make sure they all understand your systems and processes and realise the importance of sticking to them.

Keep it neat and tidy

Set out daily housekeeping duties to make sure that your warehouse stays clean and tidy. If this always seems to fall to one person, set up a rota so everyone can help take responsibility for it.

Get in touch!

If you put these simple steps in place, your industrial warehouse storage will be sorted for a long time! If you need any help, just give us a call on 0800 345 7088 and speak to one of our experienced and knowledgeable team. We will tell you all you need to know about steel partitions, pallet racking or mezzanines! Alternatively please send an email to [email protected]

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