Managing a warehouse can be an expensive business. From the staff to the equipment, there are many recurring costs, which is why it is essential that the warehouses function as efficiently as possible.

One of the most important responsibilities for the warehouse managers is the optimization of space. This helps to increase the space and materials that can be stored and to ensure that they can be located and moved safely, but also efficiently. Space management requires innovative thinking, logistical knowledge and new technologies.

An efficient management of the warehouse depends on the resources held. With different requirements for different types of stock, logistics considerations for deliveries and a variety of shapes and sizes to consider, optimizing the storage space is not an easy task, but an important one.

To maximize your available storage space, we recommend:

1. Optimization of corridor width.

The space in a warehouse is almost always defined by the colors on which the stored goods are placed. If your aisles are not optimized properly, this could be expensive for the business.

Recommendation: Removing wasted space allows you to increase the number of colors and therefore the number of pallets. This means that you can store more product stocks. Depending on the size of the shelves and stored products, reducing the width of the corridor from, for example, 12 to 6 meters, could increase the storage space by up to 50%.

When determining the optimal corridor width, there are a few factors to consider. The forklifts you use may be the biggest hurdles for narrower aisles, as larger models may not fit easily into the confined space or have enough space to perform the processes properly. Thus, for this reason, the optimal width of the corridor will be different for each warehouse. Make sure you accurately measure the dimensions of the warehouse and think about the different aspects that should fit into each aisle.

2. Consider cross placement.

Cross placement allows a warehouse to minimize the use of storage by receiving, sorting and scanning the incoming stock at the ramp, then loading that stock into trucks and vehicles, without storing it between them. The stock does not need to be stored unnecessarily, increasing the management time. Instead, it can be quickly sorted and put back into the distribution chain. Maybe at first this method can be difficult to manage, but it can save a lot of space if you are willing to invest in the necessary resources.

3. Make full use of the vertical space.

If the horizontal space is small, you may need to explore your options vertically. Modern shelving systems provide upright storage space, which can drastically improve your overall storage capacity. Before making a decision, always consider how the stock will be transported to higher levels.

4. Organize storage outside the warehouse or at suppliers.

Stock management is essential. Reserve the main warehouse for the fulfillment of the orders already made. This will allow you to streamline the operation by separating the total stock into groups, which can be managed and located more easily.

Alternatively, many suppliers will provide storage space for surplus stock, especially when it comes to packing materials. Most of the time, orders for certain materials can take up to several weeks, which means you can avoid excess stock and unused materials for long periods.

Moving to a new space or purchasing additional storage can be expensive, which is why it is important to make the most of what you have available. Therefore, you can access www.storage-logistics.ro to make your warehouse space more efficient or to find new warehouses, nationally.