5 Key Ways to Maximise Storage in a Warehouse
When you have a warehouse or a distribution center, one of the main challenges that you will face when it comes to storage is how to store items. This has the obvious benefit of saving space, but it also makes the process of conducting inventory easier, which will save time and money.
When a warehouse or distribution center is at 85% capacity, it is out of space, so to keep products running and to help with space management, you will need a few items in your warehouse to help with storage. So, here, five ways to maximize storage in a warehouse will be looked at to help save you money, time, and, most of all, space!
Vertical Stacking
Starting with the most obvious, one way to maximize storage in a warehouse is to stack your goods vertically.
Of course, you will need to make sure that the racking or stacking options that you use are suitable for the goods that you are storing. There are many different types of stacking to choose from, including drive-in pallet racking, carton flow racks, cantilever racks, and mezzanines.
Warehouse Management System
How does a management system help you to maximize storage? By keeping track of which items are where, what items are in stock, and which items need to be ordered, you can make better use of the space. No items will be overordered, which could lead to clutter, and no space will be unused, meaning that in the true form of organization, everything will have its perfect place!
Automated Storage
There will be some items in your warehouse that will be in higher demand than others, and with vertical stacking and high ceilings, it can be hard to make sure that all of the space is used.
This is where automated storage comes in. For instance, having automated storage and retrieval systems, or AS/RS, you can automatically retrieve and place items in set parts of the warehouse. So, if an item is moved, another item will take its place, making sure that all of the space is utilized. This can increase the storage density of the warehouse and help with retrieval speed.
Layout Design
Even if you have bought a full warehouse, look at the layout specifications. Is the space as effective as it could be? Make sure that all of the aisles are wide enough for machines to retrieve stock, such as forklifts, and make sure that all of the stock is accessible.
Trailers
At 80% capacity, you will need to look into moving some of your stock to another location, which is more common during busy periods, such as the Christmas holidays. So, to keep storage space ample and accessible, you can use trailers that are adjacent to the warehouse to store lighter, more temporary items. These trailers will have weight restrictions, so take care to ensure that the stock placed in them is not too heavy or fragile. Once the busy season is over, you can collapse the trailer until it is needed next.
