Production warehouse management is much more complex than most people realize. With a growing demand for inventory management efficiency, it’s essential to have a solid plan in place. In fact, improving processes like your inventory management system can boost productivity by over 25%.
Even so, maintaining a warehouse can be a huge challenge. The great news is you just have to learn the right tips, and you’ll start seeing improvements quickly.
Keep reading this guide to learn six valuable tips for maintaining an effective production warehouse!
1. Plan an Effective Layout
The overall layout is one of the most critical elements of an effective warehouse. You don’t want to put this aspect on the back burner, or else it will make everything else more difficult.
First, if you use forklifts and dollies to retrieve products, you need to ensure they’re easy to reach. You also have to create enough room to operate them efficiently.
It’s best to put loading and shipping next to each other. This makes it easier to move products quickly and effectively. The reception area is where you unload, sort, and separate products before storing them. Ideally, you’ll want your reception near the most popular products in your storage area.
It’s also essential to divide the warehouse into sections. Focus on making high-demand items easier to move quickly. You should also structure these items so they’re near the packing and shipping areas to help accelerate the shipping process.
Overall, regardless of what setup you choose, the warehouse layout should make sense. Don’t be afraid to make changes as you need to and even consider upgrading your warehouse structure using quality products like Butler Buildings.
2. Keep Everything Organized
Once you have an optimal layout in place, you’ll need to tackle organization. You should start by organizing your supplies in a way that makes it easy to move products in and out.
You must also maintain a clean environment. The best way to do this is to designate a time at the end of each day to put things away. This will ensure items don’t stack up and cause clutter.
Having a consistent labeling system is also an essential part of organizing. You need labels that make it easy for employees to find products and identify them.
Finally, warehouse organization also needs to include being aware of delivery deadlines. If you don’t have an organized system, it’s all too easy to let old orders stack up.
Make sure to create a weekly schedule and organize your day around this schedule. It will keep everything flowing smoothly.
3. Train Your Staff Properly
Don’t forget that properly trained staff are a key component to having a productive warehouse. Proper warehouse management includes making sure you have a comprehensive training program in place.
Staff need to know how to pick products properly and utilize scanners for inventory purposes. The best way to do this is to have new employees shadow experienced employees.
Employees also need training in different areas:
- Unloading and loading
- Storage
- Logistics management
- Damage inspection
- Proper inventory handling
Taking the time to create a solid training program will give your manufacturing warehouse optimal results.
4. Create a Safe Workspace
You also need to have a solid safety plan in place. While making products is your main goal, you won’t achieve it if you have problems with safety in your warehouse.
First, you must ensure you know the law so your warehouse meets OSHA standards. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires you to provide a safe workplace for employees, free of hazards.
To eliminate hazards, you need to do frequent walkthroughs to identify any potential safety hazards. These risk assessments will promote awareness and help prevent accidents and injuries.
When you do a risk assessment, you can put proper safety signage in place, which includes danger signs, caution signs, or biological hazard signs. Other safety essentials include:
- Emergency planning and exit routes
- Personal protective equipment
- Fire protection
- First aid kit training
- Safe material handling and storage
- Properly identifying hazardous substances
It’s best to create a warehouse safety checklist that all employees can review monthly.
Overall, you can always improve your safety program, so don’t neglect this aspect of your warehouse.
5. Reduce Slow-Selling Inventory
It’s critical to do a complete overhaul of your entire inventory. This is because it’s easy to get too focused on the fast-moving items that sell quickly. However, focusing on the inventory that’s not selling will help you run more efficiently.
First, you won’t have slow-selling items taking up valuable space in your warehouse. You also won’t be wasting time and money by buying and shipping these items when the demand isn’t there.
You can either run a special sale on this inventory or find another way to dispose of it.
Ultimately, doing this will help you focus on the products that bring in the most cash flow.
6. Use a Quality Warehouse Management System
These days, running a business warehouse effectively isn’t possible without a warehouse management system (WMS) in place. These systems help you understand your inventory and make it simple for your employees to find the items they need.
Having the right system can even speed up your shipping process and take productivity to the next level.
If you have a WMS, it’s time to look at making some upgrades. If you don’t have one, you need to make major changes. As technology advances, most systems on the market have options like mobile features.
This allows your employees to easily use scanners to check inventory for orders.
Many warehouse management systems can now analyze your operational data and make solid projections. They even take into account any potential disruptions or hazards.
Finally, a solid WMS prevents product overstocking and excess waste, saving you more money in the long run.
Keep Your Production Warehouse Running Smoothly
Following these tips will keep your production warehouse running smoothly.
Remember, making changes takes time and you might have to make more adjustments along the way. It’s also a good idea to involve your employees in the process so that everyone is on board.
For more informative tips and tricks, make sure to check out the rest of our blog today!
