Managing a warehouse brings with it a lot of difficulties, and one of the most daunting tasks is how to best utilize the space. When the inventory grows and the customer demand goes up, it becomes more difficult to find the space that will not lead to clutter or a slowdown of operations. A properly planned and organized warehouse helps to save time and improve safety, and also accelerates the whole intralogistics process. The most impactful way to perform this is by the utilization of vertical space.
Racking and storage systems are useful in ensuring that space is used in a very efficient manner. In this article, we will discuss how to efficiently manage the warehouse space with smart racking and storage solutions.
Start with a Clear Understanding of Your Inventory
Knowing what you are keeping in your storage is the first thing to take into account when you want to make the best use of the space. Of course, not all the products have the same characteristics. A product may be big and heavy, but another product of the same kind may be light, although it occupies more space. There are always items that are rapidly rotated over a particular period, and there are others that remain in storage for weeks or months.
Set some time apart to thoroughly inspect your inventory. Examine product sizes, weights, throughputs, and pick frequency. This check is useful for identifying the best racking and storage solution that will fit your optimal requirements, not just adopting a generic one.
Choose Racking Systems That Suit Your Product Mix
Multiple factors distinguish one warehouse from another, which is why the principal racking and storage system depends largely on the category of goods that are being moved. To make clear, selective pallet racking works as the best solution for warehouses that keep various goods and that need to be picked frequently. However, the most suitable solution to store the same product in bulk is the drive-in racking, as it allows pallets to be stored deep into the racking structure.
A large inventory of long materials, such as pipes or metal rods, in your warehouse would most likely be better stored on cantilever racks. In these racks, long and heavy items can be placed and removed from the rack without obstacles caused by columns easily.
Your space is efficiently utilized, and your operations are made more efficient when you pick the appropriate racking and storage systems that are in line with your space.
Rework Your Warehouse Layout for Better Flow
Redesigning the layout of your warehouse is something that can easily free up extra space when goods are to be arranged. A warehouse with a disorganized design can cause many problems, such as bottlenecks, delays in supply, confusion among the workforce and many other issues in day to day activity.
Revamping rack configuration is yet another efficient approach to optimize the use of the warehouse space. In the majority of warehouses, the racks have larger aisles between them, or the racks are not arranged in a way that the full area of the floor is utilized. By just changing aisle widths to install the existing racks or rearranging the direction of the racks, the storage capacity can be enhanced.
Plan for Scalability and Future Inventory Growth
There are several reasons why companies end up with very cluttered warehouses. Some of the reasons include not having a proper forecast or pipeline planning for the future but rather based on current need (s). If the stock volume is always on the rise and you do not have a plan in place, it is likely that you will be left with no space for stock.
Conclusion
You don't always need the latest technology or costly repairs to expand your warehousing capacity. The journey begins with a thorough understanding of your products, the choice of the right racking and storage systems, a better layout of your warehouse, and future planning.
However, determining the most suitable racking and storage system for your operations requires the advice of a specialist. The warehouse requirements for every company are unique and highly dependent on their storage area, products, and scalability. If you want to find the right storage and racking solutions for your warehouse, you can always get in touch with Nilkamal Material Handling's experts.
