Distributors and wholesalers have a lot of things to do each day. From handling the day-to-day demands of the business to ensuring that everything is moving along through the workflow, your warehouse is a busy, time-consuming, and demanding place.
There is one thing that can help ensure everything moves along smoothly – proper warehouse organization. Unfortunately, in a busy and fast-paced environment, this may seem challenging. Don’t worry. There are a few tips that will help you get organized and stay that way.
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Reassess the Floor Plan in the Warehouse Space
When it comes to warehouse layouts, it’s important to consider the placement of the tables, workbenches, equipment, tools, and shelves. Everything needs to be logically placed and within the reach of your warehouse staff. In many situations a warehouse pallet racking system can help ensure a smooth and safe workflow, but only if it is purchased from a reliable service provider, such as Simply Rack.
Consider the Work Areas Carefully
At a minimum, you should make sure that your warehouse has specific work areas, which include an office, receiving area, storage, packing, and shipping. When you can properly define the work areas, this is going to create a much safer work environment. For example, your packing, receiving, and production area needs to be kept far apart and separate from each other. It’s also necessary to provide clear paths for pallet jacks and forklifts. The office should have a location that gives those inside a clear view of the entire warehouse area.
Get Your Inventory Organized
Your warehouse isn’t going to be a productive environment if your products and inventory are not laid out in a logical manner. For example, make sure your most used parts or fastest-moving goods are easy to see and access. Also, it doesn’t make much sense to put “dead stock” in plain view.
One way to get your inventory organized is by using the ABC Analysis. This is based on the Pareto principle that up to 80 percent of all your inventory movement will be generated from just 20 percent of your stock.
If you want to ensure your warehouse is productive and efficient, then be sure to keep the tips and information here in mind. Doing so will help ensure that your business operates efficiently and that your workers have a safe environment to conduct their day-to-day tasks. Be sure to keep the information here in mind to achieve the desired results.
