Introduction
Running a successful e-commerce store is all the hype these days. Dozens of new online stores have popped up around the world with many more showing up each week. How and where do all of them store their merchandise, you ask? Surely not at home. For a while that works when you are just starting out, it is impractical in the long run.
As your online store grows and you become popular in your service areas, you begin running out of storage space. There are more orders than you can handle from home and you probably need to lease a bigger warehouse to deal with the rush you are used to. There is no need to worry, though. A highly competent staff teamed up with the right equipment, and a properly designed storage facility will smooth everything out to make sure your orders are well managed and delivered right on time.
With the technological advancement and new tools at hand, gone are the days of laborious sorting and shifting of goods to make enough room for all of your inventory. Check out these amazing storage solutions for your warehouse upgrade to keep you up with the competition.
Automated Storage Machines & Retrieval Systems
First things first. You need optimum efficiency in this cutthroat business. Your limited warehouse storage needs to give you more than it was originally designed for. The only way to achieve this is to install automated storage machines.
These computer-controlled, horizontal or vertical machines can be incorporated into your current Warehouse Management System (WMS) and connected to your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) program to give you maximum efficiency. With such a system in place, you can easily trace each item and accurately manage inventory usage and flow.
Automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) come with another great advantage. They can reduce your floor usage by up to 70%. Utilizing a highly efficient system of drawers, dividers, totes, and bins in calculated compressed and compact space allow for more items to be stored in one place. They also employ space from floors to ceilings to optimize space conservation.
In addition to this, a highly functional ASRS will result in faster picking time with the need for unnecessary walking between pick up location removed from the equation. A ‘goods to person’ concept will enable the machines to do the heavy lifting for you. This will result in reduced labour costs, a slash of about 60% in picking errors, and an ergonomically improved design for the health of your employees.
Mobile Multi-Tier Shelving Range
For your ASRS to work at its best capacity, you need to install mobile multi-tier shelves in your warehouse facility. They are flexible and robust metallic structures with multiple levels for efficient storage of your inventory. This is how the ASRS makes use of the floor to ceiling model in space conservation.
A reinforced shelving system increases durability. It provides easy accessibility to all the stored goods. A wide variety of accessories in different sizes and weights can be stored if picking and storage are automated through machines. In case you do not have the robots working for you, then we advise you to take into account the safety of your employees and avoid storing large and heavy goods too high or too low in the shelving system.
A properly installed and expertly designed multi-tier shelving range can increase storage capacity by up to 100%. They allow for multiple orders to be picked simultaneously since each area is accessible at all times resulting in an overall augmentation of workflow dynamics. The extra floor space you just acquired can now be utilised for other functions, such as assembly and packaging.
Roller Tracks & Picking Stations
With an increase in the number of e-commerce stores, there has been an increased focus on order picking. It accounts for a major cost because this is one aspect of your warehouse that cannot be fully automated. So, you need to find a way that improves the productivity of your manual labour at work, while reducing the costs and risks at the same time.
Rolls in the roller tracks for your picking stations to save the day. They allow for a system where items can be loaded in the rear and unloaded from the front. A first-in, first-out (FIFO) operations-based picking method will smoothen the process. It is ideal for the transfer of various sized cartons and picking up pallets straight from the aisles to the picking stations. Such a system will greatly reduce the travel time required by manual labour, utilise space efficiently, reduce picking errors, and minimise workplace injuries.
Pallet Racking Systems
This is your conventional racking system; however, there is always room for improvement if you focus on the design based on your needs and nature of goods. There are four main types of pallet racking systems for you to choose from.
A wide aisle pallet racking system provides an unhindered retrieval of pallets. It is ideal for all types of stored goods without worrying about pallet sizes.
Drive-in or pallet shuttle works best if you sell large quantities of a small variety of goods since batch picking is a key feature of this kind of a system.
Pallet flows are an ideal solution if you are facing stock-rotation problems. A gravity-based roller system moves pallets to the front of the aisles without automation. This is ideal for non-fragile, lightweight goods.
Mobile pallet racking systems move along the floor to make the needed picking aisle come to you. This greatly reduces the space required by wide-aisle pallet racking.
Conclusion
These storage solutions may seem costly and expensive to you, but as your business grows, so will your challenges. Investing in a highly functional and efficient storage facility will improve the productivity of your business and will earn back the money you invest in no time.
A well-managed, fully equipped warehouse a vital part of your supply chain. It will reduce your long-term costs, boost productivity, and keep your customers satisfied with timely deliveries. A number of online store owners neglect the cost of return orders which can take a significant chunk out of your profits which can be saved by installing better processes at your warehouse. Improving your warehouse facility with automation combined with the required management programs will have a huge impact on establishing a business that does right by its customers and employees alike.
