The average business in the United States has a cost of waste of between four and five percent.
Inventory, transport, and time waste are often overlooked or seen as part of the job. Improving organization, however, can reduce waste and help your company become more productive. Unfourntatley, not all strategies work since there are so many types of warehouses.
Keep reading below if you want to learn how to improve your industrial warehousing space. You can optimize processes and help the team become more efficient!
Work Your Way Up
You should look up if you’re searching for one of the best strategies for increasing industrial warehousing space.
Warehouse capacity levels can increase when you start investing in vertical racks. Stacking items can reduce floor clutter and improve organization. Get in the habit of placing lesser-used items and additional stock toward the tops of the shelves.
Although stacking can cause more risks, you can train your staff on removing items and placing them on shelves. Forklift drivers specialize in this task and have excellent accuracy.
Label Your Shelves
Limited warehouse space can be challenging to work with if inventory isn’t getting put away correctly.
Labeling the shelves in the warehouse will ensure that all the items fit and go back to where they belong. Consistency can increase efficiency and reduce inventory errors since items won’t get overlooked. A labeling machine will help clarify where items go and you can accomplish tasks faster.
If your business has seasonal items that don’t stay on the shelves long, you can designate an area for them. Keeping this inventory separate will prevent you from spending too much time at the label machine. Make sure you use clear and concise names for labels so you don’t have to open each box.
Reduce the Width of Your Aisles
Peak seasons can temporarily fill your shelves and floors while you still have other items in stock.
If you’re not getting enough space with other organizational strategies, you can push the aisles closer. Reducing the width of your aisles can become a problem if you don’t account for equipment and foot traffic. Try shifting the aisles closer over time so you can adjust your inventory.
Eliminate Clutter
Do you have holiday decor or documents that can’t be tossed on the shelves of your warehouse?
There are likely other places around the office to put these items and keep them better protected. Try to audit your warehouse and eliminate any items that aren’t necessary for the job. Clutter often prevents businesses from having efficient warehouses since staff can’t easily navigate.
Not only does eliminating clutter increase your storage capacity, but it can also prevent injuries. Misplaced items and clutter contribute to a lot of workplace injuries, which are easily avoidable.
Invest in an Addition
Moving warehouses isn’t always a practical option, but if you have the land, you can do more.
Adding to your warehouse, even small amounts, can make a big difference when it comes to storage. You can view these Butler building parts to start drafting a plan and budget. Closets, buildings, and rooms can help you remove large items and maximize indoor space.
Additional buildings and sheds can also help you remove outdoor items from the warehouse. Some experts also recommend creating a space for completed projects, so they don’t get mixed in the ongoing projects.
Unpack Your Inventory
Whether you have a small or large warehouse, unpacking items can help cut back on waste.
Your team will be more efficient and you can maximize space without the clutter of boxes and packaging. Towards the top of your shelves, keep the items packaged, but unpack the items that are frequently used. Have your inventory team unpack the boxes as they check in on the delivery date.
Packaging is bulky and can obstruct the view of employees. Instead of overlooking stock, everyone can quickly glance to ensure there are enough materials on hand. Use your best judgment to determine if you should keep items in boxes if they offer protection and help condense items.
Utilize Bins
Small parts can easily get lost in the larger inventory, especially if you have a big building.
If you want to improve industrial warehousing, you need durable bins. Placing awkwardly-sized objects and small items in bins can help you reduce packaging and clear the shelves. By condensing these items and clearly labeling them, staff can quickly access inventory.
Unless you get clear bins, you’ll need a label machine and system in place. Without organization and structure, the bins could contribute to confusion. Try to get a variety of sizes and colors so you always have a home for stock items.
It helps to keep larger bins toward the middle and top of the racks. Placing smaller bins at eye level or below can reduce the risk of messes and misplacement.
Try the Pareto Principle
The Pareto Principle is often used when people need to improve warehouse management and organization.
The Pareto Principle is typically referred to as the “80-20 Rule.” Following this means that you only put in about 20% of your effort to achieve 80% of the results. Streamlining organization can reduce effort percentages and help your company become more productive.
Optimizing resources and prioritizing tasks can be done at the most basic of levels. For example, unpacking items from deliveries can decrease efforts on the floor. Since staff doesn’t need to locate and open them each time an item is needed, you’ll streamline the process.
Make the Most of Your Industrial Warehousing Space
Warehouse management requires you to assess the nitty gritty and find room for improvement.
You can make the most of your industrial warehousing storage by working your way up and staying organized. Unpacking items and clearly labeling them will cut back on waiting periods and help your team avoid errors. Make sure you always use accurate and concise language, otherwise, inventory could go missing.
Take a look at our site if you need help improving warehouse management and business strategies!
