Archive for the ‘storage’ Category

Innovative Solutions For Small Warehouse Storage Spaces

As product-based businesses grow, warehouse storage becomes even more important as the need for more inventory increases. Finding space to store this excess stock is often a challenge, particularly with rising costs. Fortunately, there areinnovative solutions that can help optimise small warehouse storage spaces, helping to meet the demands of growing businesses. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you can transform your warehouse.

1. Vertical Storage Solutions

One of the best ways to utilise the space in a small warehouse is to expand upwards, using vertical space. If you have high ceilings, make the most of them with multi-tier racking systems. Pallet racking is a popular option, as this provides multiple levels of storage and makes use of wasted overhead space.

If you are looking for a more systematic approach, automated Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) are another option. This is where storage systems are computer-controlled, delivering items to a picker at an ergonomic height. This reduces the need for actively searching for products, as the system pin-points their location within the warehouse, improving picking speeds.

2. Mobile Shelving Systems

Mobile shelving units reduce the need for fixed aisles within warehouse spaces, and they can be moved along tracks to open up an aisle when needed, which can help increase storage density. The main benefit of mobile shelving units is that they can be customised to fit a variety of warehouse layouts.

For businesses with high volumes of stock, high-density mobile shelving is an ideal solution as they compact together, so can be pulled out when required. This method doubles the storage capacity compared with traditional shelving, so is the perfect solution for small warehouses.

3. Smart Storage Solutions

A robust warehouse management solution is key when it comes to optimising small warehouses, as it can provide real-time data on things like inventory levels and stock locations, and can even manage the picking and packing processes. This can improve productivity as well as help storage spaces to be utilised more efficiently.

There are lots of different technologies these days that can provide businesses with great insights into their stock. Smart sensors, for example, can track the movement and location of stock within a warehouse, helping to optimise space utilisation.

4. Lean Inventory Management

Implementing a ‘just-in-time’ method when it comes to stock can help reduce the quantity of stock held in a warehouse. Rather than having lots of old products which you can’t shift, you could look at receiving goods as they are required. This can help save valuable storage space, but it does require a lot of thought – demand needs to be accurately forecasted to save customer dissatisfaction.

5. Modular Storage Solutions

Modular shelving units can be easily adapted to suit the warehouse space, due to their ability to be quickly assembled/disassembled. This is the perfect solution for businesses that have changing stock demands and need a flexible storage solution.

Stackable bins and containers are a great way to maximise space and organise small items, such as clothing. Just like with vertical storage solutions, the ability to stack them on top of each other reduces the overall space needed for storage.

6. Layout Design

As well as physical storage solutions, it is worth having a look at the layout of your warehouse space. Are there gaps that could be utilised more efficiently? By analysing the layout, you can make better decisions about which storage areas need reconfiguring to maximise space.

A U-shaped layout is the most common in warehouses, where the receiving and shipping areas are based at each end of the ‘U’ with picking zones in between.

Efficient Picking Strategies

As well as thinking about the storage solutions, it is important to consider the picking strategies too. Zone picking is fairly popular, and involves the warehouse being divided into different zones – each assigned to a different worker. This saves a lot of time as staff don’t end up wandering around for hours looking for the products.

There are also pick-to-light systems where LED lights guide workers to the correct picking location. This method helps to improve accuracy and speed, particularly in smaller warehouses where stock has to be crammed in a bit more.

We hope this has helped to give you some ideas on storing more stock in a small warehouse space. For more advice on making improvements to your warehouse, get in touch with Logical Storage Solutions. Our expert team is on hand to find a solution to any storage problem, so call us on 0845 689 1300, or email [email protected].

Offering a consultative approach and nationwide service for all single and multi-site operations, we are your one-stop provider of all storage, workspace, and maintenance solutions.

From Chaos To Order: Warehouse Storage Transformation

Maximising Profitability Through Efficient Warehouse Storage

When it comes to warehouse storage there are so many options available, and choosing the right combination can help improve both operational efficiency and profitability. With the skyrocketing costs of warehouse space, the more you can store in a small area the better. In order to overcome space utilisation issues, we have put together this guide on improving your warehouse storage.

Implications of Utilising Warehouse Space

Space utilisation refers to how effectively the available storage space is used. With every square foot of the warehouse equating to a financial overhead, you need to ensure a positive return on your investment is being generated. Mismanagement of space can also lead to bigger issues: disorganised workspaces, longer retrieval times, increased labour costs and an increased risk of accidents.

An organised warehouse can dramatically speed up order fulfilment, ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction. Optimising warehouse space isn’t just a logistical concern, it is a strategic tool to help you get ahead of the competition.

Bottlenecks in Warehouse Spaces

There are several challenges when it comes to maximising warehouse storage, let’s have a look at these in more detail:

1. Overstocking

Lots of warehouses have thousands of products sitting there, idle and not being sold. As well as this costing businesses money, having stock sat around absorbs space that could be better used.

2. Inadequate warehouse layout

When creating a warehouse space for your business, it is essential to think about long-term plans such as scalability. A warehouse design that is rigid and doesn’t have the ability to adapt can not only hinder business growth, but also make it hard to adjust to changes in stock needs.

3. Physical limitations

There are also physical limitations of warehouses – building height, column placement and door size, which can all affect how the space is utilised. Taking these into account when reviewing your warehouse storage will allow you to use the space optimally.

Maximising Warehouse Space Utilisation

To get the most out of your warehouse space, here are a few tips:

1. Organise products based on type

The organisation of products within your warehouse is key. An inconsistent, messy layout makes it harder for employees to find products and can therefore delay operations.

2. Neatly & logically arrange

There should be some logic behind how your products are stored within the warehouse too. For example, sorting products based on their manufacturer or product name. They should also be stored neatly in order to create a safer environment for employees, helping to make their jobs easier.

3. Create a plan for unused space

If you have storage racks that are underfilled, don’t put other products straight into that space, make a note of this for a later date. This means that by making a note of your used and unused warehouse space, you can plan around the arrival of new products more easily.

4. Eliminate excess inventory

Not all of the products within your warehouse will be top sellers and there may be some times when you have too much stock of a non-selling product in your warehouse, taking up valuable space. Sometimes you have to simply eliminate excess inventory to make more efficient use of your warehouse storage space.

5. Minimise aisle widths

If you can, move your storage racks closer together to make your aisles as narrow as possible. This will increase the amount of storage space in your warehouse, but when minimising aisle widths make sure you can still fit forklifts through.

6. Utilise vertical space

If you are running out of space on the ground, consider expanding upwards if possible. By adding taller storage racks with more levels, you can easily increase your warehouse storage capacity, allowing for the storage of more products.

7. Stick to one method of organisation

There are two main methods of organising your warehouse’s contents: random & fixed organisation. Random is where you put products wherever they will fit, so you can efficiently use all of your available storage space. However, this can be a nightmare when it comes to locating products. Fixed organisation is consistently applied to your entire warehouse inventory, and while it can create some wasted space it makes it much easier to retrieve products.

We hope this has helped to give you some ideas on making your warehouse storage more profitable. For more advice on making improvements to your warehouse, get in touch with Logical Storage Solutions. Our expert team are on hand to find a solution to any storage problem, so call us on 0845 689 1300, or email [email protected].

Offering a consultative approach and nationwide service for all single and multi-site operations, we are your one-stop provider of all storage, workspace and maintenance solutions.

Which Racking Solution Is Best For My Business?

With so many racking solutions available, it can be difficult to determine which would be most beneficial for your business.

There are a lot of factors that should be taken into consideration when selecting new racking, including how much space is available, your budget, the size and weight of items being stored, and the processes and equipment used.

The type and layout of racking can have a massive impact on the efficiency of your business. Therefore, it is important that you take time to ensure that you select a suitable racking solution that has a positive impact on your business, rather than a negative one.

To help guide you to making the right choice, here are some of the key factors you should consider when deciding which racking solution is best for your business.

Space

Make the most of the space available, not just the floor space, but also the vertical space. Racking can be bespoke configured to best utilise the space available. In order to maximise your storage capacity, have your racking built as high as your building regulations will allow.

Inventory

What do you intend to store on your racking? The ideal type of racking for your business will be heavily influenced by the weight, size and shape of stock you plan to have on it.

If you stock small items, then you need racking which can have racks close together so as to not have a lot of wasted space. If you are storing heavy items, you will need to make sure that the racking solution you go with can support the weight.

If you are looking to store hand-loaded, long or awkwardly shaped items, longspan shelving is likely to be the ideal solution for your business.

Budget

Your budget will be a significant factor in determining which racking solution is suitable for your business.

If the ideal racking solution is one that is outside of your budget, you may want to consider getting used racking, or you could have a combination of different racking types to bring the costs down.

Layout

Be sure to assess and gain a good understanding of the layout of the warehouse or space in which you wish to have racking and plan out where you would like the racking to go.

The layout will limit the ways in which the racking can be configured and the types which would be suitable.

Whether you require a single, standalone bay, or a state-of-the-art multi-tiered shelving system, shortspan shelving is versatile and is ideal for any industrial environment.

When planning, you also need to take into account the flow of items in and out and consider how best to lay out your racking to aid these processes and increase efficiency, rather than hindering performance.

Carton flow systems, or carton live systems, allow products to automatically flow from the rear to the front of the shelving, making picking easier and quicker.

If you use forklifts, you will need to ensure that there is enough room for them to move around, get up and down the aisles, and be able to pick pallets off the shelves.

Whatever you need to store, rest assured that Logical Storage Solutions will have the ideal solution for you. Our expert team is on-hand to find a solution to any unique storage problem, so call us on 0845 689 1300, or email [email protected].

Logical Storage Solutions is an innovative provider of storage equipment and interior workspaces for both industrial and commercial environments, including office partitions, warehouse racking, and mezzanine flooring.

Offering a consultative approach and nationwide service for all single and multi-site operations, we are your one stop provider of all storage, workspace and maintenance solutions.

Common warehouse storage management mistakes

Anyone running a warehouse will know that the better organised it is, the more efficient it will be. Higher efficiency means less unnecessary expense and more productivity.

Mistakes lead to inefficiencies, so it is important that any mistakes are identified and rectified as quickly as possible.

Here are some of the most common warehouse storage management mistakes and how to combat them to ensure your warehouse maximises its potential.

Overlapping goods in and out

Having separate goods in and goods out areas will help to make sure that neither becomes too congested and the stock does not get mixed up.

If it is not possible to have two separate areas apart from one another, at least ensure that they are clearly defined and signposted to avoid confusion.

Small goods in or out area

Sufficiently sized goods in and goods out areas are critical to a well-functioning warehouse.

If either area is too small, it will make it difficult to efficiently receive or dispatch, and inspect, label and sort incoming and outcoming goods.

Inefficient picking aisles

If the aisles in the warehouse are not organised well, clear of obstructions, or marked then it can be difficult for pickers to locate stock.

Items that are needed more frequently should be easy to get to, and located closer to the packing station to reduce time searching for and picking the items.

Lack of a deadstock plan

Most warehouses will contain deadstock; items that are not up to quality standards, have been damaged or returned, or simply do not get used or bought.

You need to have a plan for the storage and management of deadstock. Deadstock should be kept separately from regular stock and should be clearly labelled so that pickers do not accidentally use or send out these items.

You may want to try and sell these items at a reduced rate, and then dispose of them or donate them if they do not sell within a certain amount of time, so as to not accumulate too much deadstock that will take up valuable space.

Unclear signage and labelling

The warehouse and everything within it, including areas, aisles, stock, equipment and tools, should all be clearly signposted and labelled.

This will help to ensure the smooth running of your warehouse. You could implement a barcoding system, or colour coding to make things or areas easily and quickly recognisable for warehouse workers.

Poor equipment or storage system

One of the biggest and most common mistakes is the use of inadequate equipment, tools, or storage systems or solutions.

You must make sure that the equipment and systems used in your warehouse are of good quality, and are reliable and as effective as possible.

The storage systems should be tailored to the type of stock that you have in your warehouse and should be regularly checked and reviewed to ensure their suitability.

For professional advice on how you can optimise your warehouse, get in touch with our expert team at Logical Storage Solutions on 0845 689 1300, or email [email protected].

Logical Storage Solutions is an innovative provider of storage equipment and interior workspaces for both industrial and commercial environments including office partitions and mezzanine flooring.

Offering a consultative approach and nationwide service for all single and multi-site operations, we are your one-stop provider of all storage, workspace and maintenance solutions.

5 Common Warehouse Management Pitfalls

Although warehouses vary in many ways including size, shape, and stock, they all have one thing in common. Effective management is required for a warehouse to run efficiently.

Managing a warehouse effectively is not always easy. Meticulous planning, execution, and monitoring are required to achieve optimum efficiency.

Even with the best intentions, it can be easy for managers to become complacent, overlook issues, and make mistakes, oftentimes without even realising.

Read on to find out some of the most common warehouse management pitfalls and what you can do to avoid making mistakes.

Poor inventory management

Inefficient management of your warehouse inventory can lead to serious problems.

Having too much or too little stock, or incorrectly stored stock can result in inaccurate records, misplaced inventory, and wasted time.

Keeping unnecessary or expired stock is taking up valuable space which can be used to store inventory that is actually required.

To prevent this from becoming an issue, make sure that you monitor incoming and outgoing inventory and regularly review what is being stored in the warehouse.

Inefficient layout

Not utilising your space wisely is one of the most commonly made mistakes that can have a detrimental impact on the efficiency of your warehouse.

You should review your warehouse layout regularly, at least once per year, to ensure that it is still functioning to the best of its ability.

It is a good practice to also review the layout whenever there are any changes to inventory so that you can accommodate and adapt to these changes.

You do not need to start from scratch to improve the layout of your warehouse. Small changes such as moving certain stock to a different area or implementing new racks can have a big effect on productivity.

Outdated technology/systems

Having outdated or a lack of warehouse management systems or software in place is a mistake.

Even small to mid-sized warehouses will benefit from adopting technology. A warehouse management system can help you to track, manage and locate inventory, and analyse data, quickly and easily.

Although it will require time and money to be invested initially, a warehouse management system is sure to be cost-effective and reduce operating expenses in the long run.

Recurring safety issues

Warehouses can be busy environments with a variety of machinery and equipment operating within them on a daily basis.

It is therefore imperative that safety precautions are put in place and any issues are assessed and dealt with promptly.

Ensure that regular risk assessments are carried out in your warehouse to help you to identify any potential risks or hazards.

You then need to follow these assessments up with corrective measures so that potential accidents and injuries, as well as associated costs and litigation, can be avoided.

Insufficient training

Are employees properly trained in health and safety, and manual handling? Are forklift truck drivers, machine and equipment operators, and people working at heights, operating machines and equipment, and driving forklift trucks all qualified to do so?

If not, you need to ensure that any employees without sufficient training refrain from carrying out any of these activities until proper training is provided and completed.

Training and development of staff is critical in ensuring the smooth running of your warehouse and the safety of the warehouse staff, their colleagues, and any visitors, as well as in improving the productivity and effectiveness of your workforce and warehouse.

For professional advice on how you can optimise your warehouse, get in touch with our expert team at Logical Storage Solutions on 0845 689 1300, or email [email protected].

Logical Storage Solutions is an innovative provider of storage equipment and interior workspaces for both industrial and commercial environments including office partitions and mezzanine flooring.

Offering a consultative approach and nationwide service for all single and multi-site operations, we are your one-stop provider of all storage, workspace, and maintenance solutions.

Warehouse Design and Storage Tips and Tricks

Improving your warehouse layout can boost productivity and efficiency but designing or changing a warehouse layout can be quite complex.

Redesigning your warehouse can ensure you optimise the space available and increase storage capacity and enhance safety.

To ensure you get the best out of your warehouse design and storage, we have compiled various warehouse design and storage tips and tricks to help you get started.

Define Objectives

Before beginning the planning process, you should determine and clearly define your objectives. These should be aligned with the overall warehousing strategy and aid business objectives, such as reducing costs or providing excellent customer service.

Know Local Building Codes

Do you know what clearance is required from the top of a pallet load to the sprinkler heads? Do you know whether your warehouse is situated within a seismic area which means special design considerations need to be made?

It is important that you familiarize yourself with your local building codes regarding warehouse product storage to ensure your warehouse complies with them.

Understand Goods Circulation

Observe and understand how goods move throughout the warehouse and the logistical operations involved in the dispatch, receipt, and order preparation processes.

Know how often the product is rotated, and how often loads are moved.

Determine Spatial Relationships

Once you have a clearly defined project, the next phase in the process is to develop an overall plan.

However, before starting to plan the layout of the warehouse, you should determine spatial relationships between areas of the warehouse. The flow of the warehouse may be compromised if you do not consider these.

Start With A Schematic

It is best to get everything down on paper before installation commences. If you have the blueprint for the warehouse, this will help to speed up this step and ensure accurate planning.

Test The Layout Design

Before you start installing new racks and shelves, you should also test the layout design by doing a walkthrough of the warehouse so that you can visualize the new layout and make sure everything is ready for installation and will flow well.

Mark out major work areas using masking tape and make sure you can carry things, roll pallet jacks, and that employees will be able to carry out work activities through the gaps between the outlines.

Ensure Adequate Lighting

Inadequate lighting can cause safety issues and result in decreased worker productivity and efficiency due to poor visibility so proper lighting plans must be in place.

Accommodate Future Growth

When planning your warehouse, you should consider future projected growth, and try to accommodate for potential growth to reduce the need to redesign your layout again in the future.

Regularly Review The Layout

Put an ongoing process in place to regularly review the layout of your warehouse to help you to identify inefficiencies or areas for improvement.

Reviewing the configuration of storage areas and the efficiency of processes in a warehouse is considered best practice and is critical to ensuring that space is utilised effectively.

Talk To Experts

It can be tempting to just dive straight into planning your warehouse layout without consulting a professional. However, for best results and to avoid any hiccups, it is important that you seek input from experts, such as contractors or warehouse managers.

Contact our expert team on 0845 689 1300, or email [email protected], to find out how we can help you to create a warehouse that is productive, efficient, and maximises space.

Logical Storage Solutions is an innovative provider of storage equipment and interior workspaces for both industrial and commercial environments including office partitions and mezzanine flooring.

Offering a consultative approach and nationwide service for all single and multi-site operations, we are your one-stop provider of all storage, workspace, and maintenance solutions.

Best Storage Options for Heavy Items and Equipment

With managing a warehouse comes a need to understand the requirements associated with storing products and to invest in equipment to meet those needs whilst maximising the capacity of the warehouse effectively. Here we discuss the best storage options for heavy items and equipment.

One of the biggest challenges you will be faced with is effectively storing heavy items and equipment. It is important to carefully consider how these items will be stored to optimise capacity and improve the efficiency of the warehouse management system.

There are several ways you can store heavy goods. When assessing the best method for your warehouse, take into consideration the effect that the storage solution or equipment will have on the warehouse’s capacity and productivity.

It is important that you select a solution that will not only store heavy products but will also maximise the available space and not restrict the movement of people or equipment in, out, and around the area.

Cantilever Racking & Storage

Cantilever racking is one solution to effectively storing heavy goods. This type of racking is supported at one end and extends horizontally. This means it can hold items of various lengths and weights, which makes it a popular choice for storing heavy, long, or bulky items.

Adjustable, versatile, and suitable for indoor and outdoor use, cantilever racking maximises the space available. As the front is completely open, it is easily accessible, which means forklifts can load and unload goods with ease.

It is also hardwearing, which makes it a long-lasting and cost-effective solution, and can be tailored to suit your storage requirements and warehouse environment.

Mobile Cantilever Racking

For warehouses that have minimal space available, mobile cantilever racks may be the ideal solution. They have the same benefits as standard cantilever racking, but with the added benefit of being moveable, allowing for increased density.

Telescopic Cantilever Racking

Although static to the floor, telescopic cantilever racking can crank stored goods in and out, helping to optimise capacity and allowing for a higher density of products to be stored.

The design of this type of racking is based on that of the classic cantilever rack, meaning it has all its advantages, but with the added benefit of additional storage options due to it having telescopic shelf brackets with extendable storage levels.

A-Racking

An alternative option to cantilever racking is A-racking. This solution Is ideal for more awkward to store items such as planks, slats, or strips. These items can be stored vertically within the A-racking system.

A-racking maximises space as both sides are open, so items can be stored on both sides.

The spacing can be adjusted horizontally and vertically to suit the thickness, height, and quantity of items being stored.

To find out more about solutions to storing heavy products and equipment, and to ensure you effectively optimise your warehouse capacity, get in touch with Logical Storage Solutions on 0845 689 1300 and talk to a member of our expert team today.

For tailored storage solutions that are fit for purpose, you can trust Logical Storage Solutions. With over 10 years of experience, we can engineer a bespoke racking solution that meets the requirements of your food storage warehouse.

Top Tips for Food Storage Warehouses

There are thousands of warehouses in the UK which store millions of products. Different warehouses have different rules and regulations, but none are more stringent than those in food storage warehouses.
Although it is important that good hygiene practices are maintained in any warehouse, it is especially important in food storage warehouses.

These warehouses require more than just regular cleaning and maintenance to comply with the additional health and safety standards that come with storing and distributing food. Food storage warehouses must be properly maintained to prevent contamination and foodborne illnesses.

Here are some tips to help ensure the smooth operation and compliance with health and safety standards in food storage warehouses.

Choose the Correct Storage Solution

Having correct and effective storage systems in any warehouse helps to ensure its smooth operation. This is particularly important in food storage warehouses as you need to reduce the risk of spoiling or contaminating food.

Invest in a Good Pallet Racking System

Pallet racking is the best choice for palletised inventory, particularly in a cold room or freezer storage. It is also ideal for maximising capacity in areas where space is limited.
We recommend that you invest in a sealed compartment pallet racking system for a food storage warehouse.

Sealed beams will mean that there is a lack of crevasses for any dust, insects, and food to build up. This makes this type of racking system easy to clean and maintain and reducing the risk of contamination.

Properly Maintain the Storage Systems

You should always practice good hygiene in food storage warehouses, and ensure they are regularly and properly cleaned, sanitised, and maintained.

Having storage systems that are fully galvanised will allow for thorough sanitisation of the systems without causing them to rust or the paint to flake off and contaminate the food stored in the area.

Avoid Storing Food on the Floor

Food stock should never be stored on the ground. This makes it easily accessible to rodents and increases the risk of it becoming damaged and contaminated.

It is important you get a pallet racking system that enables you to store food stock safely above the floor.

Practice Efficient Product Rotation

Most food items typically have a much shorter shelf life, which is why efficient product rotation is so important. This will help to reduce shrinkage caused by stored products going out of date.

First-in, first-out (FIFO) racking systems make it easy to carry out efficient product rotation. Load new stock onto the back of the system with older stock at the front where pallets are unloaded.

This ensures that the oldest pallets are always at the front of the picking line. Therefore, implementing automatic product rotation, and saving you both time and money.

For tailored storage solutions that are fit for purpose, trust Logical Storage Solutions. With over 10 years of experience, we can engineer a bespoke racking solution that meets the requirements of your food storage warehouse.

To find out more about our storage solutions, call 0845 689 1300 to discuss your requirements with a member of our expert team.

Tips to Optimise Warehouse Storage

It can be difficult to determine when a warehouse has reached its maximum capacity. However, once 80- 85% of the space is being utilised, a warehouse may start to notice a decline in efficiency and productivity. If there is not sufficient space, the pallet movement around the warehouse can slow down significantly. Some warehouses have to resort to temporary floor pallets which can reduce aisle movement and even cause hazards. Here we share the benefits of an optimised warehouse and tips to improve warehouse storage space.

Why Optimising Warehouse Space is important

Although it can take time to optimise the space in a warehouse, the benefits that can be gained from doing this tend to outweigh the time and effort. Here are just some of the benefits.

Save money

Once you have optimised your warehouse space, the available space will be larger. Therefore you are in a great position to store more items in your warehouse and order more products from your suppliers in a single transaction. This bulk buying can help lower the cost per unit, saving you substantial money over time.

Increase employee productivity

Once a warehouse is optimised, employees will be able to carry out their jobs more efficiently. Not only will this create an increase in productivity, but you will also probably find your employees more satisfied with their work. Having your staff work efficiently and effectively will improve your service and increase the number of orders you can fulfil.

Avoid missing sales

A risk of not having a warehouse large enough or optimised can be running out of stock. If this happens regularly, you will be missing out on sales. This can hopefully be avoided by having a warehouse optimised and an increase in storage capacity. Although the stock may still run out, the warehouse should encounter fewer issues and avoid backorders.

Ways to improve warehouse storage space

The benefits of an optimised warehouse are clear however, the difficulty is creating an action plan to optimise your warehouse. Here are some of the ways you can improve your warehouse storage.

Analyse your inventory

Before redesigning your warehouse and floor plan, take stock of your inventory first. This is a great way to quickly free up space. If you have old inventory that you don’t think will sell, you may want to consider liquidating overstock, if this is financially viable.

Understand the flow of production

Again, before making any changes, understand your warehouse processes in detail. Does your current warehouse layout facilitate the flow of your process? Is there a lot of unnecessary travel. Once you have the process mapped out, you can plan your warehouse around this process to make it more efficient.

Check if you have multiple locations

Do you have any multiple locations for storing the same item? If you do, consider combining these. Not only will it use space more effectively, but it will also help employees find items and keep track of stock quicker if they are all together.

Go vertical

Many warehouses do not use their vertical space as efficiently as they could. Calculate how much vertical space is not being used. Ensure you are always within the health and safety guidelines, however, there are many ways you can successfully increase your vertical storage space, freeing up precious floor space.

Install mezzanine flooring

An effective way to use vertical space is by installing mezzanine flooring. If you have the correct permits to do so, mezannine flooring can be used to house functions that do not require tall storage. Although there is an investment with installing mezzanine flooring, when used correctly they can really help maximise the space available.

Use off-site storage

For items that are out of season, or for overstock, an offsite location can be considered. These facilities allow you to free up a lot of space in your warehouse and is ideal for items you do not need for the near future.

Measure your aisle width

How wide are your aisles? You need to ensure they are wide enough for machinery and equipment to go through but you could also be wasting space if they are too wide. Aim for the minimum width required to do an efficient job.

Consider deeper storage

You should not only take into account the height of your storage, but also the depth. In some places in your warehouse, you may want to consider double-depth racking for certain items.

Match storage slots with size of the product

Make sure you match items with their storage space. For example, keep the shallower racking for small items and deeper storage for bulkier items. Ensuring the slots match helps keep wasted space to a minimum but also makes picking products a lot easier for staff.

As the list above proves, there are many ways a warehouse can optimise its space. Although moving to a new warehouse is always an option, it is an expensive investment that can also be disruptive Therefore, a business should ensure their current warehouse is optimised before exploring new premises. Doing so can save a lot of money and time.

Here at Logical Storage, we can offer high-quality mezzanine flooring for your business and are ready to discuss your warehouse storage requirements. For more information visit our website or call us on 0845 689 1300.