There are a lot of changes that can be made to a warehouse, the personnel and the way it is run to change levels of efficiency. The wrong changes or changes to a plethora of areas can lead to confusion and a decrease in productivity, however, there are certain changes that will always help improve warehouse efficiency. The four changes below are simple and will greatly improve warehouse efficiency.
Storage System Reconfiguration
When a warehouse storage needs to be altered or expanded, staying with the current layout will likely hurt productivity. When the storage system is properly reconfigured, productivity and business revenue will increase, and there is a myriad of effective ways to reconfigure. For example, aisles can be reduced to provide more space, adding beams for structural integrity, modifying storage mediums and adding storage mediums are methods of reconfiguration that offer a return on the investment of spending the money to make the changes.
Measuring Results
Measuring the results of storage space operations are vital to improving and enhancing productivity. There are plenty of cost-effective methods too. For example, a complete order can be assigned to the order selectors, and then, orders can be sorted for the shift, and they can be compared to the total hours worked. Also, a WMS with voice systems or scanners can track measurements as work is being done. It is simple to measure warehouse operation for efficiency to ensure it is running properly or to improve it.
Regular Housekeeping and Building Maintenance and Improvements
Maintaining an organized and clean storage facility is obvious. The addition of hanging trash cans at the end of aisles and enforced cleanliness by housekeeping are ways to improve this, but more is needed. The entire structural integrity is vital. It must be maintained and improved. For example, according to Ceramic Technology, Inc., the installation of quality ceramic pipes can increase plant and maintenance performance with a host of other benefits, which can be seen in this link. Here is another example, improving the building all the way down to the pipes is beneficial for efficiency because it prevents premature blowouts. This, along with updated structural integrity, will limit inspector time spent at a warehouse and eventually limit their visits altogether.
Install Proper Lighting
Installing energy-efficient LED lights is cost effective. Also, energy companies will frequently offer rebates for replacing current inefficient lighting. There is a profound effect on accuracy, which improves efficiency when improved lighting for pick and dock areas and for reserve. If warehouses install lighting sensors for movement, they can save even more money and lower insurance costs.
Overall, there are several effective ways to improve efficiency with each example. They can all be used together to make a warehouse a model for other businesses. The increased efficiency for one, some or all of these together will also lead to increased profits and decreased costs.