A warehouse may seem like a straightforward part of the supply chain. At it’s most basic, it receives items, stores them, then dispatches them. However, since it is so central to the logistics of businesses, more considerable efforts should be made to make them as efficient as possible.
The modern business practice has always sought to make the operations of a company more efficient. Ways to streamline and become more productive in more cost-efficient ways have and thus improve business culture and increase profits is the standard goal. There are many ways to do this, some more effective than others. Generally, warehouses can either utilize technological innovations that change their processes or make their current operations as lean as possible.
Purchase second hand
A great way to cut costs in your warehouse operations is to buy used equipment. Secondhand pallet racketing, containers, mesh, and machinery can save a company huge sums of money. You can typically pick up used equipment in stores that sell new items, most of the time it’s just a question of asking if it’s available.
Of course, you need to inspect before you buy, especially with warehouse equipment, where sub-standard equipment could lead to injury or even death. If physically going to check if the equipment is not viable, such as when you order online, it may be an idea to order a small quantity of the equipment first, after doing some research on the company and brand.
Naturally, you’d want some written guarantee on the secondhand product’s quality, but it doesn’t hurt to call the supplier and establish some verbal communication. This business rapport becomes useful for long term partnerships in industries like construction and warehousing.
Reduce Energy Bills
Changing your lighting system can make a vast difference to the running costs and the efficiency of your warehouse. Not only can it help slash energy bills, but it can also help the staff be much more productive. It’s not just about switching to more energy-efficient lights; it’s about getting the right lighting in the facility. Inadequately lit areas make the job unnecessarily demanding for workers. Too dim, and they’ll be slower, and more cautious, and rightly so.
There may also be an added benefit of a reduction in injuries, meaning fewer workforce shortages and potential lawsuits.
Repurpose
Some warehouses generate a massive amount of waste paper and cardboard. It can get to the point where wastepaper pick-ups become overly costly, and the schedules become a disruptive factor. Investing in a machine that repurposes the cardboard means that a warehouse or packing depot can save on packaging and pick -up costs as well as making the warehouse tidier.
As with more efficient lighting, repurposing adds to a company’s green credentials and can help companies support any local or national environmental drives on sustainability. In some situations, it may also open the company to government benefits, which reward greener companies.
Warehouses need to adapt to a changing world and ever higher demands. Technology and best practices can make warehouses greener and leaner.
