In busy periods when your stock is piling up, orders are coming in thick and fast and new employees are joining your business, it’s not an unfamiliar sight to see a warehouse manager left scratching their head. However, believe it or not – relocating to new premises when you’re feeling pinched for space isn’t always the best strategy. In fact, the costs incurred can end up putting your business further behind at a time when continuity is vital. Here are a few points to consider before you take the plunge.
Storage
One of the key reasons for feeling claustrophobic in a warehouse is poor organisation. Often delays in processing can be caused by inefficient storage systems – your most popular items being stored at the back, rather than the front of racking, for example.
It’s worth investigating alternative racking solutions such as wide aisle, double-deep, drive in/drive through and dynamic forms of racking, as well as shelving options before you commit to the often unnecessary cost and time involved in moving.
Space
Another reason businesses sometimes choose to move somewhere else is that they feel as if they need more space to work with. Perhaps, they’ve found a key piece of machinery that could help take things to the next level, or they need somewhere to house extra stock or members of staff. Whatever the reason for wanting to move, a viable alternative is often right above their heads. Many businesses operate in warehouses which quickly fill up on the ground level but by installing a mezzanine floor they can monopolize space that would otherwise be wasted using it to house new equipment, create extra workspaces, install more storage solutions or create an area for offices, toilets or breakrooms.
Logical Storage specialise in both industrial and commercial storage equipment and offer a wide range of innovative products to increase your available storage and improve productivity. We know that no two businesses are the same which is why we prepare quotes fully tailored towards your business and its unique needs. For more information and to talk to one of our experienced team please call us now on 0845 689 1300.
When it comes to warehouse efficiency, brands like Amazon are clearly leading the way. The retail giant’s Amazon Prime Now launch is the latest demonstration of how quickly and efficiently they can process orders, with customers near 27 of their American stores able to order selected prime products and have them delivered within just 60 minutes for a special fee.
Whilst this kind of extra-level efficiency isn’t a practical offering for most UK based businesses, the attitude of trying to reduce delivery times and make chains as efficient as possible is certainly something that you should be striving towards. Here are a few carefully chosen methods that can help you on your way.
1 – Look up
Mezzanine floors are one of the most popular solutions available for improving your operations in a warehouse. Continually chosen by businesses as an alternative to moving premises, mezzanine floors help you use the space above your head to provide extra space for you to work with.
2 – Organise your stock
Racking and shelving solutions are fantastic options available to you. We have a wide variety of options to help you better organize your inventory with different systems that can be built to your exact requirements including options like wide aisle and dynamic push back racking and carton flow or long span shelving.
3 – Take Health and Safety matters seriously
Health and Safety Regulations are absolutely critical for businesses, especially those operating warehouses. The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act means that if a serious accident happens due to a neglect of your Duty of Care then you could be found liable, which can mean damage to your reputation as a business, loss of earnings, fines and even imprisonment. A key aspect of Health and Safety in warehouses is ensuring that all of your equipment is safe and secure. For warehouse owners we provide a popular racking inspection service to make sure racking is fit for purpose.
Here at Logical Storage, we know that no two businesses are the same and you may need a combination of different solutions to help optimise your warehouse. For a tailored proposal designed to meet the specific needs of your business, call us on 0845 689 1300.
Pallet racking is one of the most popular forms of racking that we provide here at Logical Storage. Many businesses find it a beneficial aid in the storing and distribution of heavy amounts of stock.
When it comes to choosing racking there is no such thing as ‘one size fits all’ and every business has its own way of doing things and particular challenges that it might face. This is why it is important to take expert advice when implementing new storage solutions. For example, if your business needs access to individual pallets on a regular basis then choosing a push back system that stores away lots of pallets at a time may make it difficult to access pallets individually and in a quick fashion.
When looking for the best solution you should consider how much floor space you have, how much ceiling space you have, how regularly you require access to pallets and how big a quantity of pallets you need to store.
Wide aisle pallet racking is often a good option for businesses that require easy access to individual pallets. It contains vertical and horizontal beams which are easily adjustable in 50mm increments and means that every pallet is within reach at any time it is required, meaning pallets can be easily offloaded. Wide aisle pallet racking is regularly chosen by warehouse owners looking for ways to bring down dispatch times and sustain growth when demand is high.
The process of installing wide aisle pallet racking should be straight forward and quick. Logical Storage possesses many years of experience in installation and all of our racking is designed to meet all European & British standards of quality. Contact us on 0845 689 1300 to discuss your needs in further detail.
Many warehouses and factories in the UK rely heavily on racking for their daily duties. Using them to store large quantities of items in a safe and secure manner, they provide the backbone to many of their operations. However, despite this, when it comes to inspecting and repairing vital equipment, racking often gets overlooked in favour of other tools or equipment and is rarely looked after until it’s too late.
Sadly, all too often racking is forgotten when it comes to reviewing how safe and stable equipment is. However, failing to address issues can have a devastating effect on a business. A piece of damaged equipment can reduce load bearing capacity by as much as 40%. It can also lead to the collapse of racking which can endanger both stock and staff.
Despite what you may be thinking, quality racking is not inherently flawed nor is it very easily damaged. More often the problems instead tend to come from human error. Adjusting or re-assembling racking without proper training or guidance can cause racking to become ineffective or unstable. Overloading racking beyond its capacity can do the same and accidents with fork lift trucks impacting racking can be quite common and are part and parcel of a busy warehouse environment.
The key to ensuring a long lifespan for your racking is to undergo regular inspections. This allows the opportunity to carry out both urgent repairs and preventative maintenance which will ensure your racking and stock remains protected and your business can continue to function well. To be absolutely confident in your racking you should have a professional company look at your racking at least once a year.
To learn more about Logical Storage’s rack inspections, please click here, or contact us on 0845 689 1300 to discuss your needs.
Any business is pleased when orders begin flying out the doors. However, while an increase in demand for your products is a positive thing, it can also provide headaches if you aren’t adequately prepared to deal with it. An increase in sales can put pressure on your staff and your infrastructure, which can eventually leave question marks over whether or not your warehouse or other business premises can sustain growth. However, there are some solutions out there to help you cope.
One way to meet growing demand and cope with the pressures of added work is to consider outsourcing some of your duties. This might mean asking another experienced and trusted business to help handle some of your work, for example by handling your human resources work, sales or even order fulfilment. However, many business owners are understandably wary of outsourcing work away from their watchful eye.
An alternative to outsourcing work would be to ask your employees to work longer hours. The added time clocked in may allow for more work to be done and you can ensure that it meets your standards. However, asking your employees to work longer hours can often lead to poor morale, higher levels of absenteeism and may cause the quality of work to suffer. You could also consider employing another member of staff, but should the growth in your business not sustain itself you may find that you are left with an employee that is surplus to your requirements and hard to get rid of.
In our opinion there are better alternatives available to businesses when it comes to meeting demand. One way to adapt your business during a high pressure period is to consider how you can improve the layout of your site. Are there processes that could be sped up by better organisation – such as by using pallet racking or long span shelving? Both of these solutions can allow you to better organise your stock and provide you with more space and flexibility in your operations. A further way to increase your storage capacity is to consider installing a mezzanine floor. A mezzanine floor makes the most of the vertical space in your warehouse and allows you to operate in space that would normally be wasted. You can then use this newly created space to house machinery, equipment or better organise your current stock.
Logical Storage’s experienced team can help your warehouse to perform to its maximum potential. For more information on our racking solutions, mezzanine floors and office partitions please visit http://www.logicalstorage.co.uk/. Alternatively, please call us on 0845 689 1300 for a tailored proposal.
Racking damage is unfortunately part and parcel of running a warehouse and no matter how carefully you guard against it there is always the chance that something can happen under your nose which greatly reduces the load bearing capacity of your racking and as a result puts your employees in danger.
One of the biggest causes of racking damage is when a forklift truck driver accidentally knocks into racking. While you can guard against this with good training and safety lines, you can never completely remove the danger of human error leading to an accident. It’s important that you follow good practices and if a pallet is identified as being damaged you should quickly remove it from use and have it repaired before being put back into action. Continued use of damaged pallets can cause problems with your beams.
Damage to your racking, no matter how small, can have a huge impact on your systems and reduce the amount of weight that it can hold. This in turn can lead to a disastrous collapse which at the very least puts your stock at risk and at the very worst endangers your employees. If an accident were to happen in your workplace, would you be confident that you had done everything you could to prevent it? Under the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act (2007) you can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of management failures and breaching your duty of care.
However, just because damage to racking is very likely doesn’t mean that there is nothing that can be done about it. By organising periodic reviews of your racking with a professional company you can quickly identify small signs of wear and tear before they develop into something much worse.
Logical Storage is highly skilled in spotting the often hard-to-find signs of racking degradation. We carry out regular reviews for a number of businesses helping them to keep their systems in good working order and to maintain their legal obligations under the Health & Safety Act. To find out more please call us on 0845 689 1300.
Having your employees call in sick is part and parcel of running a business, but does it really have to happen so frequently? Here we look at some ways that you can reduce absenteeism in your workforce.
While there are obvious ways to reduce illness from spreading amongst your employees such as improving workplace hygiene and ensuring that employees remain off work until they are no longer contagious, there are other ways that you can reduce absenteeism which can have a real impact too.
Making your business premises a pleasant place to work can pay dividends in terms of the morale of your employees and thus the amount of sick days that they tend to take. When looking at how you can reduce absenteeism and look after your employees there are three key areas that you should focus on – organisation, health & safety and morale.
A workplace which is poorly optimised puts needless pressure on your employees making them work harder than they need to. This is why it is important to periodically review your processes and see if there are any opportunities to streamline your operations and relieve some pressure. Consider using mezzanine floors to house new machinery, assembly lines, workspaces or innovative racking and shelving solutions.
A workplace which is dangerous and has faulty equipment puts your employees at risk of injury. If you don’t carefully follow guidelines then you risk serious accidents occurring which could put employees out of work beyond just a few days at a time. Protect your workers and your reputation by carrying out regular risk assessments.
Finally, research shows that employees who enjoy their working environment are less likely to fall ill and phone in sick to work. So take a look at how you can improve your surroundings. Consider office partitions which can be used to create a bright, well lit area where you and your employees can take a well earned break.
Based in the Midlands, Logical Storage Solutions create solutions for businesses with an emphasis focussed on quality, attention to detail and customer satisfaction. We provide a wide range of solutions for businesses from racking and shelving to mezzanine floors and office partitions. For a tailored proposal designed to meet your specific needs please contact us on 0845 689 1300.
There is no one correct method to effectively running a warehouse and the particular way that you operate will always depend on the nature and needs of your business. However, there are some universal practices which should be adhered to and there are mistakes that can have, or may already be having, an overwhelmingly negative impact on your operations that you may not be aware of.
Poor organisation
An efficient and well organised warehouse space is absolutely essential to the profits of your business. Reducing the amount of time and effort it takes to carry out a task by utilising mezzanine flooring, shelving and racking solutions can have an impressive impact on your picking rate and reduce any unnecessary wastage.
Poor Health and Safety management
While Health and Safety regulations can sometimes seem like an unnecessary burden to businesses, the consequences when something goes wrong are often far worse. Under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act a business can be found culpable for harm that comes to workers due to neglect of your duty of care. This means it is incredibly important to carry out regular inspections of your equipment to make sure they are safe to use.
Neglecting staff needs
It has been proven time and time again that looking after your employees can have a positive impact on your business, reducing levels of absenteeism and making your employees more productive. Investing a small amount of money in creating a partitioned area for a quiet lunch area, toilets or office area for your employees can go a long way towards making their work day more enjoyable.
Here at Logical Storage, we know that no two businesses are the same and you may need a combination of different solutions to help optimise your warehouse. For a tailored proposal designed to meet the specific needs of your business, call us on 0845 689 1300.
Good management is the key to making sure that your warehouse can meet the demands of your clients and customers in the months and years ahead. This means not only ensuring that your employees work in a safe and practical manner but also that your warehouse is well organised to cope with the ebb and flow of seasonal trade.
As we begin 2017, many business owners will be looking at how best they can achieve their targets and goals for the year ahead. Here at Logical Storage we have extensive experience putting together combinations of storage solutions for businesses that help them to do exactly that.
One of the first examples of how a business can benefit from our storage solutions is that of a mezzanine floor. Continually one of the most popular solutions available, a mezzanine floor helps to maximise the space already available to you in your warehouse, reducing the need for relocation and allowing you to make more efficient use of your space.
Office partitions provide another route for improving your operations in your warehouse. An office partition can provide you with the space you need to conduct important meetings with clients and customers, make private phone calls, a space to do paperwork or create an area for your employees to take their lunch.
A third way that you can make the most of the room in your warehouse is to consider racking and shelving solutions, which are a fantastic way to better organise your inventory. An experienced storage provider can help you to choose a system which is best suited to your operations, be it pallet racking systems like wide aisle or dynamic push back, or shelving solutions like carton flow and longspan.
Here at Logical Storage we know that no two businesses are the same and you may need a combination of different solutions to help create space in your warehouse. For a tailored proposal designed to meet the specific needs of your business, call us on 0845 689 1300.
It’s October which means that there are only 2 months to go until Christmas! As we know, this is among the busiest time of the year for many retailers as shoppers begin buying presents and businesses gear up for the mayhem of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
However, for owners of warehouses and distribution centres this is an important time to check over the capabilities of your site and ask themselves if they are ready for the pressures of seasonal traffic.
One way that businesses can handle the increase in business around Christmas is to ensure that orders are able to be picked, packed and shipped out quickly. One way to do so is to focus on the right type of storage which allows for the most popular products in stock to be easily accessible.
Two of the available options for achieving this include dynamic push back racking and double-deep racking. The first of which allows for easy access to products and the next for increased storage capacity of said item.
November is also a good time to perform a health check on your infrastructure, particularly the integrity of your racking. An increase in your inventory could mean a significant strain on your racking. Increased load can cause beam damage and cracking, putting not only your inventory but also your employees at risk. Having an inspection now, before a seasonal delivery will identify any existing problems sooner rather than later.
Logical Storage Solutions have extensive experience in performing racking inspections, as well as helping businesses to meet the needs of seasonal demand with a wide range of impressive storage solutions. To find out more click here or call us on 0845 689 1300 to discuss your needs.
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