Common Warehouse Storage Problems and

their Solution by North American Steel Equipment

Introduction

Understanding your warehouse storage solutions can mean the difference between competitive market prices that bring sufficient profit and heavy cost that may put your company in jeopardy. This is because you will have to charge more than your competition to account for that difference, and that price increase might cost you some customers. Also, proper storage vs. improper storage can have an impact on whether your products end up in perfect working condition.

In this presentation, we will discuss some tips to help businesses better manage and comprehend their warehouse storage solutions.

Get to Know Your Products

First of all, if you want to optimize your space and elaborate an effective plan, you should read the basic requirements (read the manual) for each type of item you intend on storing. This way, you will have a better idea on what products you can put together and which you can’t.

Some of the basic storage conditions include:

•Temperature

•Humidity or dampness

•Proper stacking

•Direct sunlight

•Elevation

Storage Solution Choice

Shelves or stackable containers, what to choose?

Nowadays, stackable plastic containers are cheap, fully enclosed, and easy to buy. Shelves on the other hand are a bit more expensive, leave your products in the open, and often have to be assembled. But before choosing between the two, you need to consider the stacking and load limit of each container. Not to mention the real danger of damaging your items when searching thru stacks.

Pallets in Question

Pallets, are they really necessary?

If you’re wondering whether you could afford not to use pallets, the short answer would be “no, you can’t”. Most items should not be stored directly on the floor or cement even if it is properly packed and sealed. There are several reasons for this such as static electricity, temperature spikes, humidity, etc

A pallet or a slightly raised bottom shelf provides just enough distance to keep your products safe and in good working condition.

Storage Arrangement

How can I locate items faster?

To solve that problem, you need to get organized; label and keep an inventory. This means you mark specific points in your shelves and/or you put labels in your containers. For big businesses, this usually means using tags or serial numbers.

For small companies, this might be overkill. Storing similar items (that share the same properties) together should be enough. Label the container with the general content and, if possible, with a detailed list of the different products inside.

Storage Arrangement

What is automated storage and retrieval?

Automated storage could be an interesting option to look into for your business. The simplest method would be conveyor lift types that allow you to cycle through shelves. The shelves either move horizontally or vertically so you do not move, you merely select the proper shelf. The most expensive type requires the use of computers and machines to place and retrieve items from storage.

Get Some Help

If your business is big enough and your items are fragile or have specific storage requirements (i.e. electronics, fragile equipment, perishables, etc.), it may be worth your while to consult with a professional.

There are companies that specialize in warehouse storage solutions. So why not benefit from their experience and avoid costly mistakes that could hurt your business? For more information, you can search for these providers on the Internet as most of them have websites. Just type in the appropriate search word i.e. warehouse storage solutions.

Conclusion

Storage solutions are all about budget vs needs. As a general rule, you should keep things as simple and minimalist as possible. And then slowly expand the size of your warehouse, as well as the machinery needed for storage and retrieval, as your business grows. That’s how to maximize your ROI and ensure the longevity of your company.

This presentation was brought to you by the storage solutions expert in Canada: http://www.naseco.ca/