Warehouse Features

Warehouse productivity is important because it is often a reflection of the true cost to perform operations. Good productivity means warehouse flow is smooth and employees are able to work with greater efficiency.

When productivity degrades, your bottom line could be at stake. Poor productivity is often a sign of organizational and flow problems or employee dissatisfaction. Consider these ingenious warehouse features that help boost productivity.

Employee Lockers

The human element is important in a warehouse because people possess intuition that robots lack. Warehouse employees are an essential yet often flawed component of warehouse flow. Distracted employees can make mistakes and pick the wrong inventory, misplace goods, or waste valuable time.

Employees can be distracted if they worry about theft in the workplace during their shift due to lack of storage. They need a dedicated, secure place to lockup personal items while at work. Employee lockers give them assurance that their purse, bag, or cell phone are out of reach of others.

You can provide employee lockers in a break room or even right on the warehouse floor. Built-in locks or employee-provided locks both ensure personal items are locked up tight for the duration of each shift.

Mezzanines

Warehouse size has slowly increased in square footage and height over the last 20 years in response to greater online shopping trends. However, not every warehouse needs to be bigger in order to store more. If you are plan to keep your existing warehouse, look to new ways to utilize existing space more efficiently.

Mezzanines may be just the answer to your logistic and storage challenges. Mezzanines are raised metal platforms of varying sizes and heights. Because they have stair access, mezzanine are meant for pedestrian access and not forklifts.

This quick-to-assemble option provides instant space for access and storage of additional inventory or warehouse supplies. A mezzanine is an easy way to set up additional office or work space. Remember, you can still utilize that valuable floor space beneath a mezzanine at the same time.

Pallet Flow Racks

Pallet racks are an effective means for inventory storage because they accept a fully loaded pallet of a variety of goods. You can then easily and quickly access your inventory with a forklift. This standard storage mechanism can be stacked vertically to make the most of warehouse height.

But what if you increasingly store items that are tricky to maneuver, track, or access before they reach a certain date? Many warehouses follow a first-in, first-out policy to minimize waste and better take advantage of supply and demand trends.

One way to better handle inventory rotation is to employ a system of pallet flow racks. This unique system relies on gravity to gently push older inventory forward on roller tracks whenever new inventory is added. Your employees no longer need to waste time juggling pallets manually.

Wire Partitions

Many warehouses contain expensive equipment like computers or handheld inventory tracking devices. Even old-style warehouses need to store valuable tools or fuel for machinery. Some warehouses need a secure area to store fragile or pricey goods like electronics, firearms, or pharmaceuticals.

The best way to keep items secure and separate from the rest of your warehouse is to install wire partitions or cages. These sturdy metal-wired facilities are simple and quick to assemble and enlarge to whatever capacity your warehouse needs. More importantly, their design allows you to easily view the contents inside and still allow for the circulation of air.

Productivity increases when you are able to keep expensive items safe from theft and protected from possible damage.

Contact Lift Solutions, Inc., for these and other warehouse features that will help increase your warehouse productivity.