Seeing a recent article about Premier Design + Build Group celebrating the completion of a brand-new building for Midwest Warehouse & Distribution System got us thinking about what would make the perfect warehouse.This new purpose-builtMidwest Warehouse & Distribution System warehouse features 70 exterior truck doors, a state-of-the-art racking system, 36-foot clear height ceilings, and it is built on 24acres of land. Sounds like the warehouse owner/operator’s perfect dream, right?
The reality is that most warehouses across the world are just large empty commercial buildings that can be purchased or rented for the storage of products. However, if you were able to design the perfect warehouse, what components would you want it to have? Well, here’s a few of our ideas as well as some must-have elements. We hope you enjoy them.
Design and Layout
Just imagine being able to design a warehouse for your business from scratch. The layout is obviously extremely important.If we were starting with a blank canvas, we would ensure that we had storage solutions that would be able to house all of our products as well as any that might be stocked in the future. When it comes to storage space though, it is also important that the space allows for goods to be stacked in an organized manner and without any clutter. This is where racking systems come into their own. Companies such as Speedrack West, who specialize in warehouse racking systems, know that having the right system in place ensures a warehouse runs much more efficiently.
Location and Surrounding Space
While the space inside a warehouse is important, especially when it comes to how it is utilized, it is equally important to use the outdoor space efficiently too. Being sure there is the right space for loading and unloading products is vital.
If we are talking about the dream warehouse here, then where it is based has to be an important consideration. In a perfect Utopia, our warehouse would be strategically placed so that it would be easily accessible in terms of both incoming and outgoing products. It would also be situated in a location that would allow staff to get to and from it easily – whatever the weather. We can dream right?
Features
Okay, so now that our warehouse has been built and can accommodate all of our products safely and securely in one of the most sought-after locations in the country, what features would it have to make the working day easier?
Well, top-of-the-line machinery would be a good start. For example, to go with our top-quality warehouse racking system, we would have the very best forklifts and pallet jacks to ensure the efficient movement of products.
We would also have a computerized inventory system that would allow for quick and easy stock allocation and picking.
And, while we’re dreaming, we would have a state-of-the-art staff room with the very best coffee machines, plush furniture, and a canteen serving the most delicious food at heavily subsidized prices. Anyhow, back to reality…
Organization is Key
In reality, most companieshave to make the most of the space they have available to them as dreaming about the perfect warehouse will not make abusiness run more efficiently. What will do this though is effective organization.And a terrific way to utilize existing space is with a superior quality warehouse racking system. Investing in such a system will mean organizing products in a manner that makes them easier to access and, therefore, easier to pick and pack.
Just remember, when it comes to warehouse management, organization really is the key to success.
