January 30, 2017

When it comes to warehouse planning and design, one of the most important aspects to address is storage. You want to be able to maximize the storage capacity of your space and optimize the efficiency of storing and retrieving items. This is something that requires careful planning and experience. Many beginners choose to hire warehouse consultants when they’re first getting started to help them with their warehouse layout design. We asked our Denver office at Porta Power what they would recommend for creating an effective warehouse plan and these are the tips they came up with.

1: Create well-defined segments.

It’s essential to keep these operations separate in order to minimize the chance for error. For example, you don’t want your return products mistaken as stock and therefore they should be stored in a separate area. Keep departments separate by creating well-defined areas indicated by fencing and distinct marking.

2: Maximize the receiving area.

Receiving is one of the most important functions of your warehouse. By ensuring that there is enough space in your receiving area, you increase productivity and efficiency.

3: Organize your pick paths and bin locations.

The goal here is to be able to have your pickers move through the facility in one pass in the most efficient way possible. Plan your pick paths out ahead of time so that they start at the farthest point away from the shipping area.

4: Leverage your racking system.

The type of racking system you use could make or break your operations. Physical restraints and operating requirements must be considered. Choose a racking system that fits your needs based on pallet load weight, forklift access, storage density, and picking profiles. If you aren’t sure, it may be a good idea to hire a warehouse consultant.

5: Create cross aisles.

If all of the aisles in your warehouse are long and continuous, it could make getting from one place to another extremely difficult. Increase efficiency by creating a grid of cross aisles.

6: Determine your product location strategy.

Your layout should take product accessibility into consideration. Determine whether a random slotting system or fixed slotting system will best fit your needs.

Warehouse Layout Design Services in Denver

Designing a warehouse layout is an extremely complicated process. If you have doubts about certain aspects of your design or just aren’t sure where to start, it’s probably best to consult a professional. Porta Power offers professional warehouse layout design services for the Denver metropolitan area. Contact us today to learn more about our consulting services or get an estimate for your project.