Key Factors To Consider In Warehouse Design - IT Supply Chain (2024)

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The role of facilities such as warehouses has evolved over time and have become a major strategic factor in the success of businesses. Aside from being the storage place for products, warehouses are now also focused on providing service and support facilities for different kinds of companies. Hence, it is important to put an emphasis on how it is designed for optimal use.

When designing a warehouse, you should focus on how to attain optimum storage abilities since that is the main purpose of leasing or purchasing warehouse spaces. Regardless of which client it is servicing or the business operation it runs, a storage facility or distribution center should be accordingly designed to maximize the efficiency of your operation assets. It should be ensured that it can produce the desired results based on the business’s objectives.

There are significant elements to concentrate on when laying out a warehouse. Each is vital in making an optimal space for operations. Here are the key factors to consider in warehouse design :

Flow

There has to be a fluid flow of the steps that your workers need to follow while they’re on their shift. A logical sequence of operations within a warehouse is required to streamline the execution of processes. Each activity has to be located near to the one that precedes it and similarly with the function that it follows.

As done by consultants and managers in Kansas City warehouse spaces, you should be concerned with the movement of materials and the traffic inside your warehouse. Also, it’s critical that you are aware of the locations of your materials within the system, their status and location in storage, and the equipment handling and medium. The objective is to have fewer disruptions and minimal movement while also having a smooth flow of operations.

Accessibility

Accessibility does not just focus on whether or not you can access a product. It also means gathering the products in the required amount. Your warehouse design should provide easy access to individual pallets as well as the pallet in the arrow.

Your entire warehouse space must be put to proper use to gain quick access to items.

Space

The recommended division of warehouse space is this: the maximum should be allocated to stock processing purposes and operational storage, while the remaining space should be for necessary associated functions such as offices, battery charging, storage for empty pallets, etc. Consider the current trends when laying out space.

Since nowadays most storage equipment is free-standing, structural support is no longer needed. Your warehouse can settle with a simple and affordable design. Dividing your space this way also allows room for flexibility as implementing this design principle makes it possible to change your current storage media, as your business continues to evolve.

Throughput

Throughput means looking at the type of product and the speed at which it flows through your system. You are keeping an eye on how your products are handled together with all the other factors that affect how inventory moves through your facility.

The velocity of your product movement will consider the volume that moves through the warehouse everyday. Availability of accurate throughput data will help you a lot in terms of the design outcome.

Summary

The key factors to consider in warehouse design or more commonly known as the mnemonic F-A-S-T, are the foundation of a great warehouse design. It is not a requirement that you follow it in order. It is advised to put equal importance on each, and find the best compromise to these often conflicting influences.

Angelo Castelda works as a contributor for a news magazine in Asia. He is frequently invited to schools and universities to speak about the supply chain system and warehouse operations.