Renovating a warehouse should be easy – it’s just a big, open space, right? Those in the know realize it’s a bit more complicated than that. Here are our best warehouse layout design tips.
Warehouse layout is one of the most important elements of warehouse design. It’s essential to have a well-designed warehouse so your employees can work efficiently and safely. In this article, you’ll discover five effective warehouse layout design tips to help improve your space and increase efficiency.
1. Space out the loading and unloading area
The loading and unloading area is integral to your warehouse layout design, so ensure you’re putting it in the right place. The following are some tips for how to get this right:
- Ensure enough space for the driver to park their truck before getting out. This can be done by having multiple parking spaces that are far apart from each other. It’s also possible to have one large parking lot with multiple entrances/exits so that no matter where the truck is parked, it doesn’t take up too much room on your floor plan.
- Once they’re parked (while still inside), ensure there’s enough room to easily get out of their vehicle without hitting anything else in their way (for example, forklifts).
2. Separate the reception area
The reception area is the first thing customers will see when they enter your warehouse. This is an important area and should be designed as such. A reception area should be separate from the storage areas, well lit and clean, with a waiting area for customers. It’s also important for this area to have an organized appearance to look attractive and welcoming at first glance.
3. Organize the storage area
The storage area should be organized in a grid pattern. You can use the aisles to separate storage areas and create an easy traffic flow through the space. You can also consider placing pallets on one side of an aisle so that employees do not have to walk around them when moving through the warehouse.
4. Create a separate picking area
There is a reason why warehouse management software platforms make it easy to create picking areas: they are an essential part of every warehouse layout. Picking areas should be designed to minimize the walking distance between the picker and their final destination (i.e., shelf, pallet, truck).
They can be created in a variety of ways, but there are two main types:
- Pick-to-Light
- Pick-to-Order
If you choose the first option for your picking area layout, you’ll need to place as many lights as possible along the aisle so that employees can easily see what they’re picking from each location without having to walk around it or look at it from an angle. If you go with this method, ensure everyone knows which direction they should follow when walking down the aisle (for example, always go from left to right).
5. Adjust the shipping and packing area
Before implementing a warehouse layout design, it’s essential to define the problem. For example, if you know that your company is growing and you need more space in the shipping and packing area, it’s important to think about how many orders are coming through per day. This will help you determine how many employees or machines must be on hand during this time. You should also consider any issues with current storage systems, such as forklifts hitting each other, or containers being stacked too high.
The key is to consider all these warehouse layout design tips and use them to organize your space in a way that makes sense for your business. This will help make it easier for you and your employees as they work daily, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks!
If your plan to improve your warehouse layout with a warehouse renovation, HI-Performance Construction handles projects from drawings to permits to construction. Complex projects are our specialty! Contact us today to help you build a space reflecting your goals and needs.