Nobody likes the stress and hassle moving brings. Having to carry in all that heavy equipment? The pallets upon pallets of inventory? That’s not fun. But hey, at least you get to set up your new warehouse just the way you like it! Here are the steps to setting up your new warehouse so you can get back to business and make the most of your new space.
Planning Your Layout
Don’t just march into an empty space and start throwing up shelves. Take some time to analyze your products, processes, and equipment needs. Think about how you can best arrange your space to maximize efficiency. Would it be better to have a centralized picking area or multiple smaller stations?
Where should your receiving and shipping areas be? And what should you do with that awkwardly shaped corner? Get out the graph paper and start sketching out potential layouts. Having a blueprint of how the space should look will help you immensely on move-in day.
Get Your Equipment Ready
Make sure all your equipment is in good working condition before moving into the new space. Your equipment should include forklifts, conveyor systems, and any other machinery you use regularly. It’s much easier to make repairs or upgrades before setting everything up rather than trying to work around them later.
Also, take care to properly install equipment such as industrial printers; they’re essential for labeling and tracking inventory. Well-maintained equipment won’t do anything for you if you don’t install or store them correctly.
Organize Your Inventory
You want your warehouse to be a well-oiled machine. Disorganized inventory are the clogs that will slow your operation down. Take time to categorize your products and assign them specific locations within your warehouse. Therefore, once you open for business, your employees will know exactly where to find everything.
Establishing Safety Protocols
Safety first, always. Warehouses are bustling places with lots of moving parts, literally. Make sure to have all the proper safety protocols in place before day one. Train your employees on proper equipment use and material handling. Have clear signage indicating potential hazards and emergency exits. And of course, always keep a first aid kit stocked and easily accessible.
Testing and Fine-Tuning
Test your systems and workflows before announcing that you’re fully operational. Run a few trial operations to see how everything works in real-time. Doing so helps identify any kinks in the system that need ironing out. Don’t be afraid to adjust and fine-tune your setup, even after officially opening for business. Your warehouse layout should grow and change alongside your operations.
Use these steps for setting up your new warehouse to put together a game plan as move-in day approaches. With a bit of foresight and elbow grease, you can have your warehouse up and running in no time.
