Warehouse Planning: Finding The Best Solution For You
Finding the best solution for your warehouse planning takes organization and attentive follow-through. Determining everything from the size of the pallet racks to how much industrial shelving will be needed is essential in order to make the best use of available space.
Tips for warehouse planning
Knowing what’s most important in the warehouse planning process is the first step in creating a space that benefits both you and the rest of the warehouse personnel, Here are some steps to follow when considering howto set up your warehouse for optimal functionally.
- Define your objectives. First, determine what you hope to accomplish by setting up your warehouse. Do you need more pallet rack positions or do you need to improve order picking? Do you want to improve efficiency without increasing resources or do you want to improve safety? Ask yourself these types of questions to come to a clear understanding of why the planning needs to happen.
- Collect relevant data. Collect all data relevant to the current building or the current layout of your warehouse so that you can determine the scope of the project. Include architectural drawings showing columns, doors, height restrictions, docks and storage racks. Determine the size of the units being stored, the type of forklifts you have along with the existing aisle requirements, your pallet rack type if any, and available space that will be considered for industrial shelving.
- Analyze the data. After collecting the specific information about the warehouse, analyze the information with respect to your current objectives and needs. This will help you determine whether your objectives and needs make sense in relation to the actual warehouse layout. Seek help of some experienced material handling equipment specialist to assist you in analyzing your objectives.
- Create a plan of action. The implementation plan should be detail all the steps required to create the warehouse layout. The ideal warehouse implementation plan should indicate when a task is required to start and finish, based on the availability of resources , and whether you have obtained inside help or outside contractors.
- Implement the plan. Be sure to follow the plan to the letter, and be aware of changes that may need to occur in order to continue. If new equipment is required, make sure you have experienced material handling professionals to assist in the successful implementation of the plan. Also, be sure to have experts on your side who can take care of things like ordering permits and going over inspections.
Proper planning and implementation of your warehouse layout are crucial in making optimal use of your storage space.