Businesses in different industries make use of warehouses for various purposes. Some use these warehouses to store their goods as a risk-bearing technique and for grading and packing products. Others use warehouses to stabilise prices, especially in a logistics system. One can also use their warehouse as a source of finance to meet business needs.
If you own a warehouse, then it pays that you utilise your space. Maximising your warehouse space will enable you to make the most out of the available space. This can be of great help not only in organising your goods and equipment but in improving efficiency as well. How do you do this? Here are some ideas worth considering:
Making use of your upward space
One good thing about warehouses is that they often have high ceilings. This allows you to make use of that upward space as extra storage. Consider adding more rack tiers and take advantage of vertical storage. If you choose to do this, make sure to consider how you plan to organise, locate, and move the goods that you will stock up high in the new racks. You may also need an industrial stair ladder for each section so that your workers can easily reach stocks.
Merging locations of the same items
If you have goods stored in multiple locations, consider consolidating them. These may have different sizes, so you will need to label them accordingly. This will enable you to locate the product quickly, utilise space, and avoid confusion among your workers.
Removing excess and unwanted inventory
We often try to keep everything, even the wrong and excess inventories. These may seem small in number, but when they add up, they can take a large amount of space. Instead of having that extra space for new products, you’re wasting it on unwanted items. Consider getting rid of these wrong inventory to make new room for those that are necessary.
Getting rid of the one-size-fits-all containers
Another space-saving technique is to pack your goods and items in containers that are a perfect fit. We often go for large and single-sized containers for all items in the warehouse. But these eat too much space, unless all of your items are of the same size. If you store an item that fits only about 75% of a container, this means that you have just wasted 25% space. It would be best to have different sized containers in the warehouse to maximise space utilisation.
Taking advantage of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems
Such systems allow you to manage your inventory like a pro. If your business needs strict item tracking like those handling frozen products, then automated storage and retrieval systems are (AS/RS) a must-have. You’ll need to use lifters and conveyors to reduce space occupied by aisles. While these tend to be a costly investment, they can help you maximise warehouse space, boost efficiency, and even lower labour costs.
When upgrading the size of your current warehouse or relocating to a bigger warehouse is not an option, your only choice is to maximise your warehouse space. You get to organise the items in your warehouse better and easily locate the items you keep, making the process flow smoothly. Keep this list in mind if you need some ideas of how to utilise your warehouse space.
