Warehouse managers are constantly fighting the battle of creating more storage solutions for their warehouse space. As well as maintaining efficient operation and keeping everyone safe, the warehouse must be kept as optimised as possible. This will help to reduce business costs. However, this isn’t so simple.
Creating Warehouse Storage Solutions
Many warehouses fail to optimise their available space. They assume a place to be full and risk losing out on necessary profits that keep the business running. There are many areas in which this can be avoided.
Facility optimisation
Without assessing the storage that you currently own, implementing a redesign would be a waste of time and money. It helps to start with a simple checklist to see where the issues lie before you can consider what your next steps should be.
- Measure your available floor space
- Asses the type of product that will be handled, including recommended storage conditions, restock requirements and handling loads
- Establish material flow paths within the facility
- Map out fixed columns, walls and doors
- Determine requires spaces such as offices and docking areas.
- Talk to Monarch Shelving for your available options
Aisle Width
Many warehouses have minimal measurement and expansion possibilities, which often leads to phantom space restrictions. However, with more SKUs to handle, you need to constantly adapt. SKU often determines the type and amount of space you need. This could be anything, from small shelves too long aisles. The aisle needs to be wide enough to keep workers safe, but it must also maximise storage space in the warehouse.
When planning aisles, consider these recommended widths and their uses:
- Wide Aisles – These are wider than 9.8 feet and are used with large sized but infrequent order quantities
- Narrow Aisles – These range between 8.9 and 9.8 feet and require the use of a reach truck. They can also be used for infrequent and small SKUs
- Very Narrow Aisles – these can boost storage density by up to 50 per cent but also reduces operational speed
NOTE: When installing VNAs, don’t forget to accommodate lighting and sprinklers, as you are much closer to them the higher you go.
Racking
To increase your space with pallet racking, you have many options:
- Go vertical – consider the free space above to receive up to 20 per cent more storage space.
- Correct pallet racking – too many businesses use the wrong pallet racking for their warehouse needs, taking up too more space than is necessary.
- Tunnel Racking – Consider the area between the cross aisles or the space running under the machinery – but this can only work if you have up to 9ft of clearance
- Long span racking – perfect for larger quantities while still increasing your square footage.
Turn to Monarch Shelving Ltd for your Warehouse Storage Solutions
Racking is adaptable and can be assembled with ease. By combining it with shelving, a warehouse can get up to 60 per cent more storage space. If you’re still unsure, however, you can always talk to the experts. Get in touch with Monarch Shelving Ltd today to find out more.