Tips to Optimize Your Warehouse Design and Adapt to Changing Conditions

Maximize Your Warehouse Design with These Flexible Tools

Change is the only predictable thing, and we’ve experienced our share over the past few years. To accommodate the inevitable, building flexibility into your warehouse design helps meet efficiency goals and minimize costs. Reclaiming and optimizing underutilized warehouse space ensures that your facility is better equipped to manage and adjust to increased SKU variety or SKU velocity changes.

6 Warehouse Design Ideas to Maximize Warehouse Space

Vertical Carousel

1. Use vertical space – Think vertically instead of horizontally. High pallet racks and vertical storage solutions can increase pick efficiency and maximize unused space. You can also alter beam levels and/or reorganize SKUs by height. Or, consider an automation option like vertical carousels for high-density SKU storage of hand-picked inventory.  
2. Don’t waste storage rack space – Check your racks and ensure that space is optimized. For example, suppose your beam levels are positioned for palletized inventory but are used for individual boxes. In that case, this is an inefficient use of space—Max out the available space on each level.
3. Create putaway rules – Adherence to a firm set of putaway rules increases output and pick productivity because it guarantees that SKUs are placed in their ideal storage location. Your warehouse management system (WMS) should provide direction regarding putaway rules –if you don’t have that type of system, it is likely worth creating one. 
4. Implement flexible storage – Surplus inventory can result in an excess of one SKU yet an insufficient amount of another. An adaptable warehouse storage system ensures that this is no longer an issue. A great example is wheeled carton flow which enables fast, easy reslotting.
5. Select storage mediums based on SKU turnover rate – The quicker a SKU turns, the better. Regular slotting assessments help position/reposition SKUs based on turn rates to optimize efficiency. Picking the right storage type for your SKU assortment ensures that slow-moving SKUs aren’t using the optimal pick zone space that fast-moving SKUs should occupy. This also has the added benefit of guaranteeing fast-moving SKUs aren’t packed too compactly to hinder an efficient picking process.
6. Pallet rack extensions – If you have open vertical space above your pallet rack systems, consider rack extensions which can add 20% or more capacity, depending on system design and available space. WOI can implement your rack improvements to ensure safety and reliability with expert design and professional rack installation.

Storage Solutions to Help Reclaim Wasted Space

There are various warehouse design options to help recover unused or improperly used warehouse storage space based on your needs. We offer several space-saving solutions: carton flow, vertical carousels, and bin storage shelves, for example.

Carton flow – This is one of the most flexible warehouse storage racking systems. It is best for high-volume, medium-turn rate inventory. Wheeled or roller rails are affixed within a regular pallet rack at a slight pitch so that stock moves from a load aisle to an opposite pick aisle. The benefits include saved warehouse space, reduced travel time, and increased putaway and pick accuracy.

Vertical carousels – These storage units contain powered shelving or bins within a secure enclosure. They eliminate wasted vertical space, reduce storage footprint, increase pick speed and accuracy and increase storage density. Vertical carousels consolidate space by as much as 75%. They are an ideal warehouse design option for facilities that store products and inventory of various sizes because they can store both small and large items. You can also equip your unit with security measures if needed.

Bin storage shelves – This unique storage system installs under the first beam level of your pallet rack and creates consolidated storage for high-volume, small to medium-sized SKUs. The high-density storage design minimizes travel and maximizes pick rates with highly-organized bin storage units to increase pick density, speed, and accuracy. Individual units slide side to side to provide access to up to 4 rows deep of storage. These systems reclaim otherwise wasted cube space under existing rack systems and add up to 240 pick slots per rack bay. 

Let WOI Help Realize Your Space Potential

Pick Module (Left) with Case Pick & Full Pallet Storage (Right)

Unlike band-aid solutions, the Warehouse Optimizers, Inc. (WOI) team can help you find long-term solutions to optimize your underutilized warehouse space. Creative warehouse design can be a valuable key to long-term success vs. poor space utilization that amounts to decreased efficiency and wasted money and time. 

Call our team to work out a plan to integrate the most efficient storage and order-picking solutions into your warehouse design. With the WOI team, you get over 180 years of material handling experience — all dedicated to meeting your warehousing needs.

Our team is dedicated to solutions, not simply selling product lines. And we are committed to delivering 100% Customer Satisfaction with every application as we abide by our Total Satisfaction Experience™ (TSE) tenets. 

The Total Satisfaction Experience focuses on five essential customer experiences:

1.     We will listen to your needs
2.     Execute your project with particular attention to your unique application
3.     Stick to project timelines
4.     Ensure a safe environment
5.     Pay close attention to the detail of the finished product.

A strong focus of our TSE commitment involves the project installation. Our team follows strict protocols and ensures the finished product meets customer expectations.

WOI Installation Team:

• Industry Experienced Professionals
• OSHA Trained & Certified
• Certified Drug-Free Workplace
• Licensed General Contractor
• Job Safety Analysis
• Forklift, Scissor Lift, and Aerial Lift Operator Trained

Our installation team is available for demolition and re-installation of existing systems. Transportation to and from facilities can be included along with permitting if necessary.

Call WOI today for a free consultation and schedule a site inspection —dial (833) 336-7005 or email info@warehouseoptimizers.com. 

WOI proudly serves customers throughout the Southeast, including KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, ALABAMA, AND FLORIDA.