Getting the Most out of Your Warehouse
The COVID 19 pandemic brought about vast changes for many UK businesses and indeed those around the world. Some organisations and brands thrived, others shut their doors, many shifted towards an online, e-commerce model and depended largely on online sales to keep their business afloat. As a result, there was been a large uptick in demand for expanded storage or warehouse space to house goods, as well as for completely new storage facilities. For this, many companies rely on warehouse and fulfilment services to take care of storage and logistics.
For businesses that have their own facility and work processes, there are some helpful guidelines to follow when it comes to setting up and running a warehouse. The benefit of running your own warehouse rather than outsourcing it to a fulfilment company is that you have complete control over how goods are handled, packaged and shipped. This also places you one step closer to the end customer. In addition to managing your warehouse, you can consider warehouse staffing services to lessen your work on HR.
Warehouse equipment
It is worth investing in high quality warehouse machinery and equipment like electric pallet trucks when setting up a storage facility for any business. Ensuring that goods are easily accessible and stored in a logical way will increase efficiency and ensure that warehouse employees can implement smooth workflows. Warehouse automation is rapidly becoming a popular and highly effective method for warehouse management. It can help reduce the amount of repetitive, tedious tasks that workers need to perform, and also reduce the rate of errors in areas such as picking and packaging. Along with improved accuracy and enhanced safety, warehouse AI also leads to increased productivity. It truly is the way of the future for many warehouse and order fulfilment facilities.
Aside from automated equipment and AI, other highly useful warehouse machinery and items include the following:
- Pallet trucks, stacker trucks and hoists make lifting and stacking faster and safe
- In some cases, a pallet truck with weighing scales can help save time and money by weighing pallets and large boxes during the loading process
- Conveyor tables and transport rollers make it easy for workers to move goods around, into and out of the warehouse
- Wire racks and galvanised steel shelving are strong and easy to adapt for durable, strong storage of goods
- Climbing equipment such as ladders and order pickers let warehouse employees access items comfortably and safely
- Signage, labelling and clear guidelines can be used to direct movement safely around the warehouse floor
- Sweepers and manual sweepers can be used to keep floors clean and free from debris, which can be potentially dangerous in some warehouse scenarios
- Scissor lift tables provide easy lifting of heavy loads
Improving warehouse logistics
No matter what industry you are in, or whether you run a large or small warehouse facility, it is worth reviewing the set up and workflow processes regularly. As businesses evolve and change, they may have new requirements in terms of storage and logistics. Reviewing and learning about new technology and equipment that is available is one of the best ways to make your warehouse more efficient. Matching the workflows with your organisation and industry is important in ensuring stable, efficient productivity levels. Similarly, limiting the range of carton sizes used to ship goods will mean workers can make decisions quickly and will streamline the process of packing and sending out items.
As more and more businesses rely increasingly on their online shop to generate revenue, the importance of brick and mortar stores is slowly decreasing. As a result, the need for warehouse space is growing. Researching the best workflows and layout for your brand is crucial when setting up or upgrading your warehouse. It is always worth investing in high-quality warehouse equipment that is adaptable, durable and will last well over the long term.
