September 12, 2019

Guide to an Effective Warehouse Racking Layout

The defining line between the classification of a warehouse that is efficient and one that is not, is in the operations department. The racking layout will impact on the efficiency of operations, from stock control through to order dispatch. In order to correctly plan a racking layout there are 3 Golden Rules to keep in mind.

3 Golden Rules of an Effective Racking Layout

Prior to any planning sessions for the layout of the racking, there needs to be a clear understanding of the desired outcome of the racking layout. For most warehouses this can be broken down into flow, accessibility and space.

Flow

The definition of flow in the operations department is the continuous movement of goods, equipment and people throughout your warehouse.

A primary objective is to decrease the amount of high traffic zones. To do this the staff members locations for each task are to be as close as possible to the tasks before and after it. Goods that the staff require in carrying out the tasks will need to be as close as possible to the workstation.

The next objective to achieve is the minimising of movement and interruptions to staff as much as possible.

Accessibility

All products within the warehouse need to be accessible by staff in the operations. This means that a product shouldn't required to be moved in order to access another one.

Space

To maximise the warehouse space consider the following:

Inventory,
How much inventory will be stored?
Size of the inventory
Receiving and dispatching zones of inventory

Office areas, and
What is the location of the operations staff members office and desk areas?

The racking and storage areas.
Size of the aisle spaces
Height of the racking structure
Materials handling equipment

Abbott Storage Systems

At Abbott Storage Systems we have a long history in the warehousing and storage industry. A strong focus is on ‘Delivering Trusted Solutions’ according to our tagline. We have become a trusted brand in the storage industry as a result. So to this end, we ensure that each storage solution is tailored to every individual clients’ specific needs. As well as, focusing on the need for increased safety, productivity and efficiency. Our achievements are built on our experience in the industry. We design and manage entire storage fit outs.

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