Warehouses are built for the sole purpose of storing products which are meant for selling, distributing to selling points or being sent to clients’ addresses. Whichever the purpose of it, the point of the warehouse is having all the products in order so that whichever action you may take, runs fast and smoothly. But first, in order to get to the point of smooth warehouse operation, you need to choose the best storing option; how much space do you have for racks and shelves?
Don’t just rely on your good eye to estimate the length and width of your space; if you do so, you are going to make a huge mistake that could cost you a fortune. Instead, hire a warehouse shelving Melbourne specialist to get expert advice on what option corresponds to your needs.
Almost every warehouse shelving Melbourne specialist will base his/her advice on the so-called Paretto Principle, according to which 80% of the products that go out, are stored in 20% of the SKUs (stockkeeping units). This means that not all storing units should be treated equally or arranged in the same manner. According to the type of product being stored, you can choose from various shelving patterns:
1. Storing fast-moving products – there are multiple ways of storing fast-moving products, or products that go out of the warehouse very quickly:
- Bulk stacking – in this method, racks are not used for storage. Bulk stacking is ideal for storing light products; boxes are placed on top of one another, so there is basically no need for shelves. The system itself does not use the warehouse’s vertical space because only 3-4 boxes can be stacked one on top of another.
- Pallet flow pallet rack – this type of storing system allows for FIFO (first in first out) and LILO (last in last out) applications. This storing option allows space maximization and is especially convenient for products that have expiration dates.
2. Medium or slow-moving products are stored using special storing solutions:
- Selective racking – if you have a lot of warehouse space, this is the right storing option for you. Plus, it is the most economical and versatile of all. It contains a lot of racks arranged in a manner so that every lift truck can access them at any point, which contributes to the system’s possibility of immediate access.
- Push back – this is especially good for LIFO systems. Here the pallets are pushed in from the front of the racks as opposed to the pallet flow system.
3. Other racking storage options include:
- Cantilever racks – this system is especially designed for storing very long products. It is held up by cantilever arms and columns that hold the products.
- Warehouse mezzanines – a mezzanine is something like a second floor added to the warehouse. It uses the added vertical space for creating more storage room. Also, these can have a very hard construction and serve other purposes such as creating a whole new area or a small department in the warehouse.
Besides these few basic ones, there are also some other custom-made storing options. Of course, these are based on the area you have at disposal. The warehouse shelving Melbourne workshop you hire to make all the measurements and design the system will advise you what type of system you need. The final decision is totally yours.
