While many people have tried to devise a way to reduce or eliminate warehouses from the supply chain, the fact is that warehouses provide an essential buffer between suppliers and customers. Manufacturers and suppliers are not always able to produce products exactly when and where customers buy them, therefore, warehouses fill the gap between the incoming and the outgoing. Good warehouse design, however, can help manufacturers store their inventories in the most efficient and safe way possible until the goods get into the hands of the customer.

Warehouse design requires careful planning, drawing, and placement of material handling equipment. One of the first decisions of warehouse design is how to balance storage and picking. A warehouse design with high-density storage will limit picking efficiency, whereas a warehouse design that allows for easy picking will not be able to store as much. Warehouses can improve these warehouse design factors with automation equipment such as conveyor belts, bar codes, etc., but basic warehouse design will have the most impact on how merchandise is received, stored, and shipped out.

Of course, there are many other important issues in warehouse design such as pallet rack, whether or not the inventory will require a controlled temperature or humidity, the loading dock, and safety. In addition to material handling equipment to assist you with the most advantageous warehouse design, Ace Industrial Equipment also has experts and software on-hand to consult you about warehouse design. Please call or e-mail us for more information.