>
by Kevin Hill
Efficient warehouse management is becoming more and more critical as it optimizes warehouse processes as well as ensures overall inventory profitability. There are a number of ways to improve warehouse management, such as implementing warehouse floor scales. Here’s a look at 6 factors that can help in contributing to the growth of the warehouse.
Employees
Employees are the most important asset in any organization. They are essential even in warehouses that are heavily automated as they are responsible for running and managing the operations. Operation staff manages shipments, material picking tasks, labeling, inventory counting, documentation, packing and various system operations. When you have a good team handling the manual aspect of the processes, you can be assured of warehouse growth.
Right Attitude and Skills
Ensure that warehouse employees have the right attitude and skill sets to work efficiently in the warehouse. Work efficiency mainly relies upon the functional capability of employees rather than just knowledge or educational qualifications. They should be able to understand and follow the processes and comply with the instructions. There are several operations that require manual dexterity and the ability to stay on feet for long hours or continuously bend to pick items.
Efficient Storage Solutions
How you store the products in the warehouse will make a huge difference in increasing productivity and profit. You need to maximize the available storage space in the best possible way. Ensure the storage solutions are safe, simple, and highly efficient. One popular storage solution is the pallet racking system which provides more space despite taking up only a little floor space. It is quite convenient as you can bring down the pallets using a forklift and weigh them at the same time using forklift scales. They are safe and sturdy storage solutions made from high-quality materials.
Efficient Machinery
The machinery used in the warehouses must be relevant, up-to-date and efficient. If any part of the equipment is outdated, you should consider replacing it. Old and inefficient machinery not only slows down the manufacturing process but can also prove to be expensive to maintain. You may find it often takes longer to find the repair parts in the market since they would no longer be manufactured, thus subjecting you to even longer downtimes.
Incorporate improved models of machinery in terms of speed and productivity such as industrial floor scales. New technology and efficient machinery will improve your warehouse productivity significantly.
Improved Layout Design
The growth of your warehouse shouldn ‘t be lateral. Don ‘t expand the footprint of your warehouse — rather, consider using the vertical space in a better way. Add taller storage units and equipment that can store more materials in the same square footage instead of adding to the expansion costs. Consider the type and variety of shelving being used currently and upgrade accordingly. Improving the layout of the warehouse will increase productivity and reduce downtime.
Competition
A healthy competition is always good for productivity. When the Internet was relatively new, retailers found it difficult to combine the in-store and outside sales into a single fulfillment process. However, companies can now incorporate omnichannel logistics solutions that make it easy for a single warehouse to manage shipments to both the stores and individual consumers. These solutions allow them to compete against other retailers in their market segment using the latest technology.
It is critical to be sensitive to various factors that can contribute to the growth of the warehouse. Once you identify the areas that need improvement, you can focus your energy on strengthening them and add to the warehouse growth.
About the Author
Kevin Hill heads the marketing efforts at Quality Scales Unlimited in Byron, CA. Besides his day job, he loves to write about the different types of scales and their importance in various industries. He also writes about how to care for and get optimized performance from different scales in different situations. He enjoys spending time with family and going on camping trips.
Recent Comments