50 idées et conseils d'experts en matière de conception et d'aménagement d'entrepôt

Concevoir un aménagement d'entrepôt semble être une entreprise simple, mais c'est en fait assez complexe. En fait, la conception et l'aménagement de votre entrepôt peuvent faire ou défaire la productivité de votre opération, impactant le temps de prélèvement, les heures de travail et même augmentant les risques de sécurité en raison d'une mauvaise circulation.
Nous avons rassemblé 50 experts en conception et aménagement d'entrepôt des idées, des conseils et des stratégies pour vous aider à concevoir l'aménagement idéal de votre installation afin d'optimiser la productivité de l'entrepôt et d'améliorer la sécurité. Cliquez sur un lien ci-dessous pour accéder aux conseils d'une section spécifique :

• Conseils de planification de l'agencement de l'entrepôt
• Considérations lors de la conception d'un agencement d'entrepôt
• Idées de conception d'aménagement d'entrepôt

Conseils de planification de l'agencement de l'entrepôt

1. Définissez vos objectifs avant de commencer le processus de planification. « Lors du choix de l'aménagement d'un entrepôt, les objectifs doivent être clairement définis. Les objectifs doivent être alignés sur la stratégie globale d'entreposage de l'entreprise. Les objectifs peuvent être définis à un niveau élevé, comme réduire les coûts d'entreposage ou fournir un service client maximal.
"De même, les objectifs peuvent être plus spécifiques, comme maximiser l'espace d'entreposage, offrir une flexibilité maximale dans l'entrepôt ou augmenter l'efficacité de l'entreposage sans augmenter les ressources. – Martin Murray, Planification et optimisation de l'agencement de votre entrepôt – Impact sur la chaîne d'approvisionnement , L'équilibre des petites entreprises ; Twitter :@thebalance
2. Connaissez vos codes de construction locaux. « Familiarisez-vous avec les codes du bâtiment locaux concernant le stockage des produits en entrepôt. Par exemple, quel est le plus petit dégagement nécessaire entre le haut de la charge de la palette et les têtes de gicleurs ? Votre entrepôt se trouve-t-il dans une zone sismique nécessitant des considérations de conception particulières ? soyez conscient de toutes les considérations de sécurité telles que les voies de sortie, les allées de chariots élévateurs par rapport à la circulation piétonnière, etc. , Solutions de stockage de niveau supérieur ; Twitter :@NextLevelMHE

3. Demandez l'avis de vos responsables et sous-traitants. « Vous pourriez être tenté de vous lancer directement dans la planification de l'agencement de vos rayonnages d'entrepôt, mais ce serait une erreur. Avant de commencer, parlez à des entrepreneurs compétents (comme votre entreprise de manutention), à votre ou vos gestionnaires d'entrepôt et même à vos chauffeurs :ils ont des années d'expérience dans l'exploitation et la planification des entrepôts, sans parler de l'expérience dans votre entrepôt spécifique. Expliquez vos objectifs et vos exigences, puis écoutez leurs suggestions." – Jordan Iv, Comment concevoir un agencement de rayonnage d'entrepôt :10 étapes pour une planification efficace , LinkedIn
4. Exploitez les données historiques de votre système de gestion d'entrepôt (WMS). Si vous n'avez pas de WMS, c'est le moment idéal pour investir. "Dans l'environnement commercial concurrentiel d'aujourd'hui, la collecte de données est impérative. Les systèmes de gestion d'entrepôt (WMS) d'aujourd'hui ne se contentent pas de suivre l'inventaire, ils collectent des données opérationnelles critiques. Souvent, WMS peut faire des recommandations radicales, telles que la modification de votre philosophie de positionnement des produits en passant d'une catégorisation ABC conventionnelle basée sur la valeur des produits à des approches souvent contre-intuitives mais très efficaces, telles que des agencements d'entrepôts à inventaire flottant.
"Nous recommandons de mettre en œuvre méthodes automatisées de collecte de données de suivi des actifs pour éviter les erreurs en aval - la saisie manuelle est un non non. Allez plus loin et attribuez des numéros de suivi uniques aux actifs, ne vous fiez pas aux numéros de série (qui ne sont souvent pas uniques). Et ne vous contentez pas de suivre les actifs mobiliers, suivez également vos immobilisations. » – Cody Adams, 13 conseils pour la conception et l'aménagement de votre entrepôt , Formaspace ; Twitter :@RealFormaspace

5. Comprenez comment les marchandises circulent dans votre établissement. « La circulation signifie ici le mouvement qui se produit dans les opérations logistiques, telles que les processus d'expédition, de réception et de préparation des commandes. La rotation des produits est la fréquence à laquelle les biens sont renouvelés, c'est-à-dire qu'un produit à forte rotation est celui qui a un taux élevé d'entrée et de sortie. Le déplacement de charges implique des coûts, il est donc préférable de minimiser le mouvement, à condition que la procédure opérationnelle de l'entreprise l'admette. La détection de ces flux est très importante car ils contribuent à définir ce qui est nécessaire pour une conception efficace de l'entrepôt. » – 5 facteurs pour une conception d'entrepôt parfaite , Holisol Logistique; Twitter :@HolisolLogistic
6. Déterminer les relations spatiales entre les différentes zones de l'entrepôt. « Une fois le projet clairement défini, la 2e phase du processus vise à élaborer un plan global d'aménagement des espaces de l'entrepôt. Dans cette étape, des détails très spécifiques de la mise en page sont délibérément ignorés. Cependant, d'autres aspects de l'aménagement sont étroitement évalués.
« La façon la plus logique d'initier cette phase est de déterminer les relations spatiales entre les zones de l'entrepôt. De nombreux aspects doivent être pris en compte lors de l'établissement de relations entre les zones. Exagérer ou sous-estimer l'importance et l'impact d'un facteur peut s'avérer préjudiciable au flux de l'entrepôt. Notre équipe de consultants utilise un système d'évaluation logique pour résoudre ce problème.
"La prochaine étape de cette phase consiste à déterminer la quantité d'espace requise pour chaque zone. Il existe plusieurs façons d'accomplir cette tâche. Certaines méthodes peuvent fonctionner mieux que d'autres dans une situation donnée. Par exemple, dans certains cas, les installations peuvent ne pas disposer d'informations historiques sur les zones à aménager, tandis que d'autres peuvent avoir établi des normes d'espace.
"Une fois les besoins en espace définis, des ajustements peuvent être apportés pour tenir compte des limitations besoins spécifiques de chaque région. Par exemple, certaines zones peuvent nécessiter une porte de sortie, et il peut être judicieux de donner plus d'espace d'allée à d'autres zones. – Marvin Logan, Comment créer un meilleur agencement d'entrepôt , Bastien Solutions ; Twitter :@BastianSolution

7. Testez votre conception de mise en page avant de commencer à installer de nouvelles étagères et racks. "Juste avant de commencer à installer des éléments tels que des rayonnages à palettes, des étagères ou de l'équipement, vous devez parcourir votre entrepôt pour vous assurer qu'il est prêt pour tout ce qui doit être installé.
"Utilisez du ruban adhésif pour délimiter les principales zones de travail et transporter les objets à travers, faites rouler des transpalettes et demandez à d'autres employés de simuler le travail en même temps.
« Cela vous donnera une compréhension visuelle de votre espace et s'il est optimisé ou non. Toute erreur ici entraînera des erreurs pires plus tard. – 4 conseils pour planifier efficacement la conception d'un aménagement d'entrepôt , Chers systèmes ; Twitter :@DearInventory
8. Commencez par un schéma. "Un bon aménagement d'entrepôt commence toujours par tout mettre sur papier, quelle que soit la taille de votre espace. Pour ce faire, le moyen le plus simple consiste à utiliser une copie du plan de votre entrepôt, en particulier si votre espace est grand ou n'a pas la forme d'un rectangle standard. Si vous êtes locataire, votre propriétaire pourra peut-être vous en fournir un.
"Si vous ne pouvez pas mettre la main sur un plan, il est facile de dessiner votre propre schéma d'entrepôt sur du papier quadrillé. J'utilise généralement un carré =un pied carré sur mon schéma.
"Une fois que vous avez un schéma imprimé ou en ligne avec des mesures dessinées à l'échelle, notez toutes les caractéristiques fixes telles que les colonnes ou les supports, les aménagements de bureaux, les équipements installés , portes basculantes, etc., que vous devrez contourner.
« Dans mon entrepôt, l'aménagement du bureau prend une partie du milieu que je dois planifier. Je note même que la porte du bureau s'ouvre sur l'entrepôt pour ne pas la bloquer accidentellement. De plus, en tant qu'opération d'expédition, les emplacements des portes basculantes sont essentiels pour mes flux de travail d'expédition et de réception, je les note donc pour ces utilisations.
"Une fois que vous avez votre schéma prêt, avec vos principales caractéristiques notées, il est temps de commencer planifier votre espace." – Krista Fabregas, Planification de l'agencement de votre entrepôt – Comment mettre en place des zones de stockage, d'emballage et d'expédition efficaces , FitSmallBusiness.com ; Twitter :@FitSmallBiz

9. Créez une carte de processus. « Évaluez le fonctionnement de votre entrepôt au quotidien. Y a-t-il des pièces dans la mise en page qui provoquent des goulots d'étranglement et un ralentissement de la production ? Si tel est le cas, vous devez optimiser l'agencement de votre entrepôt pour garantir des flux de travail fluides et efficaces.
"Créez une carte des processus qui détaille le fonctionnement actuel de votre installation et l'emplacement de chaque zone. Ensuite, sélectionnez les zones qui doivent être modifiées.
"Ensuite, créez une nouvelle carte de processus avec les modifications apportées à la mise en page. Par exemple, si vous avez remarqué un goulot d'étranglement dans la production et l'emballage, la nouvelle carte de processus peut déplacer la zone d'emballage afin qu'elle puisse facilement répondre aux exigences de la production. – Comment concevoir un entrepôt rentable :Optimiser la conception de l'agencement de votre entrepôt , Fabrication CPV ; Gazouillement :@cpvmfg
10. En plus de vos processus, vous devez avoir une compréhension approfondie de votre inventaire. « En plus de comprendre vos processus de travail, il faut comprendre l'inventaire qui y sera stocké. Pour cela, vous devrez connaître la taille et la forme de ces articles, l'équipement de manutention nécessaire pour transporter ces articles et la quantité globale de chacun que vous stockerez. Cela sera important pour un certain nombre de raisons.
"Tout d'abord, la taille de l'article sera importante car plus ces articles occupent d'espace, moins vous avez d'espace pour d'autres éléments d'inventaire, qu'il s'agisse du même article ou Par ailleurs. Ceci est important car, lorsque vous exploitez un entrepôt, chaque pied carré vous coûte de l'argent. De plus, l'examen de l'équipement de manutention nécessaire pour déplacer chacun aura un impact sur la largeur des voies de circulation nécessaires entre le stockage des stocks. De toute évidence, les articles nécessitant des chariots élévateurs ou d'autres machines lourdes nécessiteront une voie plus large. Cependant, vous devez également tenir compte de la circulation piétonnière globale dans la zone afin d'assurer la sécurité globale des employés de votre établissement. – Guide de planification d'entrepôt :utilisation de l'espace , construit en panneaux, incorporé ; Twitter :@PanelBuilt

11. Ne vous contentez pas de concevoir un aménagement d'entrepôt pour l'instant. Vous devez également créer des conceptions supplémentaires qui s'adaptent à la croissance future prévue. "Mon expérience en matière de création de conceptions d'aménagement d'entrepôt va d'un espace existant surpeuplé à des bâtiments complètement vides à la recherche d'une direction. Ma recommandation initiale pour les deux est de mettre vos idées et vos concepts sur papier.
"Bien sûr, c'est super d'avoir une conception 3D AutoCAD vraiment nette de l'agencement de votre entrepôt, mais il est important de commencer par les bases et de mettre un crayon sur papier. Restez concentré sur la tâche la plus importante à accomplir :créer un flux de matériaux efficace entre la production, le stockage et l'utilisateur final.
"Un flux de matériaux efficace peut être obtenu immédiatement avec le bon équipement, les bons supports de stockage et amplement d'espace - mais tout dépend de la façon dont il est conçu pour résister à votre croissance rapide. Essayez de prévoir la croissance future et créez un design pour le moment ainsi que quelques autres designs pour plus tard. – Marc Laframboise, Conceptions d'agencement d'entrepôt , Le manutentionnaire ; Twitter :@MaterialH4ndler
12. Ne négligez pas un éclairage adéquat. « Un mauvais éclairage dans un entrepôt oblige les travailleurs à passer un temps inutile à chercher des articles qui seraient facilement visibles si des plans d'éclairage appropriés étaient en place. En plus de la faible productivité des travailleurs, un mauvais éclairage peut entraîner des problèmes de sécurité en raison d'une mauvaise visibilité des dangers potentiels, y compris la circulation transversale et les risques de trébuchement. Les emplacements qui abritent des articles avec de petites étiquettes ont besoin de plus d'éclairage que les zones qui abritent des articles avec de grandes étiquettes." – Justin Johnson, Best Practices for a Manufacturing Warehouse Layout , Chron; Twitter :@HoustonChron

13. Examinez régulièrement l'aménagement et les processus de votre entrepôt pour identifier les inefficacités. « La plupart des entreprises consacrent beaucoup d'efforts à l'aménagement initial de l'entrepôt; cependant, les sondages de l'industrie vous diront que jusqu'à la moitié des entreprises n'ont pas mis en place de processus continu pour revoir leurs mises en page. Examiner la façon dont les zones de stockage sont configurées et mettre en place des processus pour reconfigurer les zones de stockage à mesure que la gamme de produits change est considérée comme la meilleure pratique et est essentielle pour maintenir des niveaux élevés d'utilisation de l'espace et d'efficacité. Faire de petits ajustements continus aux racks, étagères ou autres équipements de stockage peut considérablement améliorer l'utilisation de l'espace.
"Tous les logiciels d'entreposage fonctionnent sur des données, par conséquent, les données sur les produits et les emplacements de stockage doivent être actualisées et exactes. Best-practice companies maintain all information on a single system of record and keep it current and accurate. Product data should include all product characteristics including cube data, lot/serial-number information, and special requirements so that product can be directed to special storage areas. Special storage areas may be used to segregate items with odor transfer or fire risk or that require temperature control. High-value product might require caged or controlled-access storage.” – Kate Vitasek, Storage and Inventory Control Best Practices , Multi-Channel Merchant; Twitter:@mcmerchant
14. If you’re redesigning an existing warehouse layout, determine what changes must be made immediately and what changes will require more time to implement. “Once you have decided to initiate changes, identify what changes should be initiated immediately and completed within three to six months and which changes require longer to implement and complete. It’s equally important to determine which action items are capital-intensive. These may be either necessary or secondary but will be required in the long term.” – Warehouse Assessment to Identify Ways to Increase Facility Capacity , F. Curtis Barry &Company; Twitter:@FCurtisBarryCo

15. A simple spreadsheet analysis can provide insight into how many rows of various depths and how many racks are needed. “Arrange the warehouse to fit the nature of the inventory. If it will store large quantities of few SKUs, many deep rows are needed. If the inventory will be small quantities of many SKUs, mostly shallow rows with many faces is more practical.
“A simple spreadsheet analysis calculates how many rows of varying depths and how many racks are needed. From this it calculates the area needed for storage and aisles. Space for docks, offices and future expansion are not included.
“The analysis is based on a ‘snapshot’ of current inventories, modified to include future changes. Although individual SKUs may vary from week to week, the mix of deep and shallow rows is surprisingly stable and one period can be very representative. The height pallets can be stacked depends on the weight of the product, strength of the packaging, building height, etc.” – Planning a Warehouse , Material Handling &Logistics
16. Plan for adequate dock and receiving space based on the number of SKUs (and types of products) your facility handles. “After we have found an appropriate location, or if you’re retrofitting an existing facility, we go straight to the design phase, and we assess operational data to gain insight into your facility’s goals. Using this data, we analyze daily production and receiving cycles. We also use the data to account for changing inventory levels throughout the day. This information helps us create a layout that speeds processes and creates flow through the workspace. By knowing where products are coming from, where they’re being stored, and how often they’re moving through the facility, we can create a design that uses space wisely.
“One of the main components in layout design is optimizing the ability to accommodate various types of pallet loads. Some warehouses handle single pallets with one SKU, which is easy to receive and easy to store. Other warehouses, however, handle loads of chemical materials and other substances, which need to be quarantined and tested before storing. Whether you’re handling pallet loads with one SKU or 1000, we design a receiving area that can support operations. We make sure you have ample dock and receiving space.” – Layout Design , Warehouse1; Twitter:@warehouse1

17. Perform a slotting analysis. “Now that you have separated your inventory by product category, velocity, and unit of measure, the next stage is to perform a slotting analysis to balance your inventory.  Slotting is the process where you define the quantity and size of all your forward pick and reserve locations.  This is determined by analyzing the best combination of product category, velocity, and unit of measure to place in forward pick locations, and where to store the reserve inventory for each product category by velocity.  It is important to have dimensions and cubic volume for every product in each unit of measure you inventory.  Balancing inventory with picking and replenishment is critical when determining the size of your pick faces.  To decide how large your pick faces should be, analyze the cube, velocity, and the number of times you want to replenish each product group and velocity combination.” – Victor Coronado, Optimizing the Warehouse to Maximize Space and Efficacy , LinkedIn 
18. It’s a good idea to draw several layouts (including internal and external layouts) and validate them before making a final decision. “Once the previous decisions have been phased out, a critical part in the design process starts that is the preparation of possible layouts. However, it is important to make differences between the internal and external layout. On one hand, the external layout will show where the warehouse area is going to be located and the relevant roadways and parking areas. One important decision is to determine the traffic around the warehouse area. On the other hand, the internal layout includes the different areas in which it is going to be divided, the dock area location and number of docks needed. This will include the classification between the areas with fewer distances for the greatest flows. The internal layout should meet the following objectives:

• Throughput efficiency
• Building utilization
• Safety
• Environmental aspects

“After drawing the possible layouts, they should be validated. This validation should be made according an operational and a technical feasibility point of view, checking that the layouts meets the requirements proposed in the first step of the framework. Finally, the preferred layout should be chosen. For that, all the possible layouts are going to be put together and different conclusions are going to be drawn, both quantitative (e.g., financial costs) and qualitative (e.g., SWOT analysis). After all this it is possible to choose the design that best meet the company activity and expectative.” – Beatriz del Río Tomé, Material flow design in a warehouse: The case of S:t Eriks , Lund University; Twitter:@lunduniversity

19. Not enough data? Conduct a survey. “In some cases, there simply is not enough good quality data to create a reliable design. When this happens, it’s time to roll up the sleeves and survey the distribution center, collecting visual information on what needs to be stored. There are generally four methods which can be used to gather this information:

• Method #1:Product cube:Use a database of product dimensions.
• Method #2:Survey storage cube:Survey each item in each bin in the distribution center. Record the SKU number and capture some information as to the amount of space occupied by that SKU in the distribution center.
• Method #3:Utilize bin cube (bin-by-bin):Measure the dimensions of each bin, and capture the rough percentage of space in each bin which is occupied by product. This is not a SKU-specific method.
• Method #4:Utilize bin cube (aggregate):Measure the dimensions of each bin, and determine a general utilization factor that applies to each bin type. This is not a SKU-specific method.” – John Diebold, Planning a Warehouse Layout with Imperfect Data , Commonwealth Supply Chain Advisors

Considerations When Designing a Warehouse Layout

20. A new (more efficient) layout can have a direct impact on ROI. “ROI (return on investment) is a key factor in considering changing a warehouse layout or doing a full facility redesign. Congested aisles can cause lost time and efficiency. Inefficiencies can cause stock-outs in prime pick locations, which impairs operations, and costs money. Money may also be wasted by renting additional off-site warehouse space. Resolving these factors can contribute to reducing operating costs and improving the bottom line, not to mention reducing damage to the building, racking or forklifts.” – A Guide To Warehouse Optimization Using Expert Warehouse Consultants , Arbor Material Handling; Twitter:@AMH_inc

21. Traffic flow is a key consideration in any warehouse layout design. “This may sound like an obvious focus for warehouse design, but it is regularly overlooked, or compromised in favor of maximizing a building’s square footage. The traffic flow around the site is critical for getting material through receipt and into location and ready to sell as quickly as possible. Go to any industrial estate in the UK and you will see trucks parked up on the public highway waiting to be able to access sites for unloading. This waiting time costs businesses money in both demurrage and the potential for delayed orders and lost sales. You must ensure that the exterior layout and traffic flow is sufficient to receive, offload and despatch goods in the quickest turnaround times possible.
“Efficient traffic flow starts with incorporating the right number of bays into the warehouse layout and the right configuration of bays. Depending on the type of operation, there should be a mix of level access bays and dock level bays. For example, in an e-commerce operation material may come in on curtain sided trailers that need to be unloaded from the side and enter the warehouse through a level access bay. However, for despatch, orders may be despatched onto rigid vehicles requiring rear-loading and consequently dock level bays.” – Warehouse Design – 5 Tips for Success , Paul Trudigan, Ltd.; Twitter:@paul_trudigan
22. Design with safety and ergonomics in mind. “Ensuring that your warehouse is safe not only means less accidents and increased costs to you as a business; it also helps your operation to run more smoothly and efficiently.
“In our previous blog post about warehouse safety we discussed how by designing your warehouse to minimize the amount your staff have to bend, reach and twist can help them work better, without the risk of injury. Ensuring that your inventory does not need to be moved more than once can also help.” – 4 ways to improve your warehouse layout design , Kerridge; Twitter:@KerridgeCS

23. Flooring is actually a consideration that can have substantial impacts on a warehouse operation. “The emphasis on warehouse flooring has undeniably increased due to modern building techniques. The quality and durability of a floor slab can affect, for good or bad, all elements of the process in a warehouse. ‘With many warehouse and logistics operators now taking full advantage of new technology that often requires bigger and taller buildings, the demand for a flatter floor is significantly higher,’ exemplifies Darryl Eddy, director of Twintec Industrial Flooring.
“The pressure on flooring has also been magnified by the massive throughput of goods and 24/7 nature of a modern logistics operations. A floor slab must therefore offer a minimum maintenance period while providing flexibility and performance.
“‘Traditional ground-bearing floor slab construction uses concrete nominally reinforced with fairly light mesh and then incorporates saw-cuts to induce shrinkage cracks to a pre-planned grid,’ says Eddy. ‘Floors with such joints are prone to curl, and are very bumpy for forklifts, eventually leading to breakdown and ongoing maintenance for both floor and machines.’
“In order to design and build a floor for a warehouse, it is necessary to understand the properties of the floor constituent materials. By examining concrete mix, fibre type and fibre dosage, a warehouse operator can evaluate which floor will best match the demands of the warehouse in question. ‘Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete (SFRC) is a composite material and can be used to produce reinforced floors that do not require joints, therefore reducing maintenance of forklift and floor,’ says Eddy.” – Darryl Eddy, as quoted by Middle East Logistics Staff, Top 10 tips for warehouse design , Middle East Logistics; Twitter:@Logistics_ME
24. Address non-productive aisles. “Sometimes, wasted space starts with the warehouse layout. What once was an efficient design now could be a storage nightmare.
“Contrary to what some may think, your warehouse layout should actually be very flexible. That way, it can easily accommodate your business as it changes over time—from expanding product to storing new, different-sized items.
“That being said, take a look at your design—or hire a professional to analyze it for you. Your aisles may be too wide or you could be basing the design around your rack system or lift equipment instead of the building.
“After thoroughly assessing your layout (and going over your options like installing a mezzanine or modular inplant office, etc.) can you decide whether non-productive aisles really are the problem or perhaps you really have run out of space and need to upgrade to a larger facility.” – 9 Warehouse Solutions to Maximize Non-Productive Aisles Without Breaking the Bank , Specialized Storage Solutions

25. Your warehouse layout design should be both flexible and scalable. “Planning for unknown future changes to the business or fulfillment model is a necessity to avoid unnecessary costs to make unplanned changes to the facility and operation. Don’t develop a layout or process that is inflexible or not scalable. Read about how to develop an effective warehouse layout process here.” – Warehouse Layout Design Principles , F. Curtis Barry &Company; Twitter:@FCurtisBarryCo
26. Activity levels and storage requirements are two important factors that can be used to determine the ideal warehouse layout. “There are as many ways to design a warehouse as there are facilities. Based on the specific needs of your organization, your space may dramatically differ from a warehouse serving the same industry. Whether you’re moving into a new space or updating your current layout, one of the most important pieces of information you can communicate is the overall activity level and storage requirement of your operation:

• Low activity/low storage requirements – Often seen in smaller operations where manual handling is the norm.
• High activity/low storage requirements – Characterized by a single forward picking area with minimal storage overflow.
• Low activity/high storage requirements – Frequently a manual or semi-manual picking procedure that necessitates multi-level, high-density storage.
• High activity/high storage requirements – Typical of large-scale distribution centers, these fast-paced facilities rely heavily on automated material handling systems and extensive storage capacity.

“Heating, cooling, and humidity controls can also have significant bearing on the warehouse design. Some require more general accouterments like storage, sufficient aisle space, designated receiving and shipping areas, etc. Others must protect perishables with proper chill space, refrigeration requirements and humidity control equipment.” – A Guide to Getting the Most out of a Warehouse Design Service , RackExpress; Twitter:@rackexpress

27. The Pareto Principle is applicable to the movement of inventory in warehouses. “Different warehouses use various storage methods and different types of racks or mezzanines. The combination of different types of storage systems is extremely important in maximizing the usable space. The storage equipment storage be selected based on the movement of livestock (Ten Hompel et al., 2007).
“Pareto principle (or 80/20 rule) refers to the movement of inventory in warehouses. This thumb rule states that approximately 80% of the activity in the warehouse comes from 20% of the products, which are frequently transferred inside the building. Next 15% of the activity is derived from the 30%stock keeping units (SKUs), which mobility rate is defined as the average. Finally, 5% of the activity comes from 50% of the inventory, which are stored in a slow manner. By separating the fast, medium and slow-moving products within the plant and increasing access to products requiring the highest activity, the throughput can be increased significantly.
“Moreover, by facilitating access to these products, additional time can be gained to transfer the products inside the building (Ackerman, 2013).
“Parts with high turnover are usually stored in warehouses with high volumes using pallet racking with standard width passes. Companies that have a reach truck can store products with a high turnover in places where there are narrow aisles. Products with an average circulation are more suitable for storage in narrow aisles. Lastly, it is suggested to store slow-moving products in a very narrow aisle by trucks with rising cabin. However, this is only theory that aim to support the decision how to store goods. Depending on the situation and needs, the scenario might be different (Ten Hompel et al., 2007).” – Marta Rosinska and Narendra Chillara, Layout design planning of a logistics center: A study on space utilization after merger of two warehouses , Department of Technology Management and Economics, Division of Supply and Operations Management, Chalmers University of Technology; Twitter:@chalmersnyheter
28. Unique inbound shipment characteristics can play a role in optimal warehouse design. “Inbound shipment characteristics also play a large role in warehouse design. The ideal inbound shipment? A full palletload from a pre-certified vendor, with a single SKU ready for immediate putaway.
“At the other end of the spectrum, chemical or pharmaceutical materials may require lab testing before they can be accepted for putaway into inventory. This means product must be quarantined in a separate receiving area while it awaits testing.” – Lisa Harrington, Designing the Perfect Warehouse , Inbound Logistics; Twitter:@ILMagazine

29. Don’t over-complicate picking processes by overemphasizing storage needs. Instead, your goal is to find the perfect balance between the two. “Because warehouses are a buffer for inbound shipments from suppliers and outbound orders to customers, the nature of warehousing often changes from storage to transaction. In addition, overseas sourcing increases the need for warehousing–increasing its importance in the supply chain.
“One key to effective warehouse design is insight into picking or storage activities. A large warehouse space can meet storage needs but complicate picking processes. You need to find a balance for the design of your warehouse.” – Warehouse Design and Layout , UPS; Twitter:@UPS
30. Allow ample space for goods-in. “The goods receiving area of your warehouse is generally a hive of activity, which all too often is crammed into an inadequate space for the purpose.
“While it may seem counterintuitive to give up floor and racking space to expand the goods-in section of your warehouse, releasing a larger floor area here can often lead to greater overall warehouse layout efficiency—and therefore reduced operating costs.” – Rob O’Byrne, 4 Ways to Improve Warehouse Layout Efficiency and Save Costs , Logistics Bureau; Twitter:@LogisticsBureau

31. Analyze department space to tap into unused overhead space. “Identify functions that do not require high ceilings in areas where lower stacking heights are dictated by the clear height. We often see unused overhead space where large departments like packing and shipping are performed.
“Look up and make sure you’re using all the vertical space available. Investigate storage media to take advantage of your clear span height. How much cubic feet of vertical space is not being used? Be sure to know how your design might impact your sprinkler design and fire code.” – Brian Barry, 15 Ways to Improve Warehouse Space Utilization , Multi-Channel Merchant; Twitter:@mcmerchant
32. Give forklift operators as wide a path as possible. “Space is also key in maintaining an efficient environment for forklift operation.  That doesn’t simply refer to the square footage of the warehouse.  It’s possible to have a very large facility with little operable space.  The idea here is to provide as a wide of a path as possible for your forklift operators.  One easy way to do this is to keep all stored products and packages up against a wall.  If your inventory and/or space limitations require the construction of aisles, then make sure you have plenty of space between rows for a forklifts to maneuver without being cramped.  The width between aisles will largely depend on the type of forklifts you are using as models vary in terms of turning radius, elevation and reach.  Once you’ve identified the forklift models in your warehouse, construct your aisles accordingly.  This will not only speed up work flow, it will also go a long way in avoiding accidents..
“Width between aisles isn’t the only important consideration in the layout of your aisles.  Logical and proper labeling is also key.  As much as possible, try to stack items of a similar kind or category in the same aisle, and make sure each aisle is clearly labeled so employees know which items can be found there.  This will avoid hours of confusion and backtracking that can result when employees are not sure where to find specific inventory items.  Creating short cuts through aisles can also help to streamline storing and delivery.  Putting gaps in the middle of aisles will allow employees to make a direct a path to the items they need without having to walk or drive forklifts around entire aisles to get there.” – Tom Reddon, Best Practices for an Efficient Warehouse Layout , National Forklift Exchange; Twitter:@TomReddon

33. An optimized warehouse layout not only maximizes the use of horizontal and vertical space, but also equipment and labor. “The optimal layout factors both the floor space and the vertical space available for use. In addition to maximizing the use of space, a good layout maximizes the use of equipment and labor, accessibility to all items and the security of all items. Using forklifts that reach the roof of the warehouse allows for a configuration that maximizes both the horizontal and vertical space.
“The complementary solution is to ensure that the highest-selling inventory is easily accessible by placing it at the most accessible point.” – Top Five Warehouse Management Problems and How to Fix Them , Newcastle Systems; Twitter:@NewcastleSys
34. Review global layout efficiency. “It’s always been like this and to complicate to change. This is the common comments. Start looking at the global warehouse configuration and think of those 3 basic points:space utilization, productivity and global operation control &management. Look at opportunity to change considering those points:aisle orientation, product flow, incoming and outgoing operation, location of services area (employee access, building services, working area (repack etc)), fix equipment location (stretch wrap, scale, packing tables, etc). Look at measuring productivity per sector or operation and evaluate time consumption and finally review your WMS performance.” – Albert Goodhue, Warehouse Layout Optimization:Some basics steps , GCL Logistics &Supply Chain Consulting

Warehouse Layout Design Ideas

35. A U-shaped product flow is the most common type of warehouse layout, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best layout for your business. “A U-shaped warehouse product flow is the most common type of layout. In this layout the shipping and receiving docks are located next to one another, offering shared utilization of dock resources such as personnel and material handling equipment. This layout also minimizes product handling, offering high cross-docking capability.” – Warehouse Layout &Product Flow Options , REB Storage Systems International; Twitter:@REB_Storage
36. If you need enhanced security, an I-shaped or L-shaped warehouse layout may be better suited to your needs. “I-shaped warehouse product flow and L-shaped warehouse product flow, also known as through flow, are similar in that the shipping and receiving areas are located on different sides of the warehouse. As a result, these require more available warehouse space than U-shaped layouts.
“These layouts can be beneficial for certain operations. For example, warehouses that require heightened security can benefit from the separate ‘in’ and ‘out’ areas. I-shaped and L-shaped layouts can also provide larger sorting and storage areas for both shipping and receiving docks as well as allowing for isolated monitoring of each function.” – Warehouse Layout &Product Flow Options , REB Storage Systems International; Twitter:@REB_Storage

37. Consider adding a floor. “In warehouses where vertical storage isn’t a priority, the addition of a second floor can increase the efficiency of your warehouse layout design especially for picking. Mezzanine floors offer a way to maximize warehouse space without the high costs of complete renovation. These types of floors are ideal for small warehouses looking to expand their space due to increased product demand.” – Jason Tindley, How To Design An Efficient Warehouse Layout In 10 Easy Steps , Logistics Planning Consultants; Twitter:@LPCINT
38. Incorporate cross aisles. “If all of the aisles in your warehouse are long and continuous, it could make getting from one place to another extremely difficult. Increase efficiency by creating a grid of cross aisles.” – 6 Smart Tips on How to Improve Your Warehouse Layout Design , Porta Power, Inc.; Twitter:@PortaPowerInc

39. A fishbone layout, featuring angled aisles, is touted by some experts. “Most warehouses have parallel aisles aligned with the receiving and shipping docks, perhaps with orthogonal cross-aisles; but this need not always be the case. Kevin Gue of Auburn University and Russ Meller of the University of Arkansas [23] have argued that travel times can be reduced by up to 20% by reorienting some aisles and including some angled cross-aisles, which they call a fishbone layout. The overall warehouse must be slightly larger to compensate for the space lost to the additional aisles; but this is more than made up for by the efficiency of more direct travel to or from a centralized point of receiving and shipping.
“It is possible to take advantage of this more direct travel if most pallet movement is to or from the central dispatch point. But if a forklift finishes putting away a pallet and then must retrieve another, the orientation of the aisles of the fishbone arrangement may not help at all, and indeed may be an impediment. Nevertheless, this possibly inefficiency seems to be more than made up for by the direct travel to and from the central dispatch point.” – John J. Bartholdi, III and Steven T. Hackman,  Warehouse &Distribution Science , Release 0.94, The Supply Chain and Logistics Institute, School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology (Latest version, Release 0.98, can be downloaded from Warehouse-Science.com)
40. Ensure that processes are positioned closely to other processes and functions they rely on. “The overall layout of the warehouse is an important factor in the optimization of operations. The flow throughout should generally move in either a line or a ‘U’ shape. In this facility there is a single door for both incoming shipments and outgoing orders, so the flow should be in a circular manner. Beginning with reception from the manufacturer, to putaway and replenishment, to order picking and fulfillment, and finally concluding with packaging and delivery to the outgoing shipper, each process should be in close proximity to those it relies upon.” – Tobiah R. Master, Warehouse Redesign of a Facility Layout, Racking System, and Item Classification at Sunrize Tackle, Inc. , California Polytechnic State University; Twitter:@CalPoly

41. If space is available, integrated loading and unloading areas can offer greater load handling speed. “If loading and unloading areas are built directly into the sides of the warehouse so that goods are deposited and collected without the need for any detours, it is said that they are integrated into the facility. The main advantage of this is the greater load handling speed, which means it is preferable to non-integrated options if there is sufficient space for it.
“Trucks are connected to the warehouse via the docks and these docks can be:

• Docks separated by an intermediate platform: They are appropriate when this separation is advisable as determined by the nature of the goods or the need to maintain the internal warehouse environment or when there are safety issues relating to the material stored. A typical example of applying this type of separated dock is for cold chambers, where cold loss could occur if a flush dock is used with an access door and where this must be avoided at all costs. Yet there are many other circumstances in which this design is preferable, particularly when the safety of the warehouse could be compromised.
• Flush docks: They allow trucks to back right up to the warehouse wall. To avoid affecting the internal environment of the facility, access doors must have, as a minimum, a hermetically sealed system. This seal can be metal or created through the use of a dock shelter.” – Warehouse layout design , Interlake Mecalux; Twitter:@IKMXus

42. Design a variety of location sizes to accommodate a greater variety of storage needs and take advantage of all available space. “We see instances where one or two cases stored in a location designed for a full pallet. It is necessary to have a variety of location sizes to accommodate the variety of storage needs on a product by product basis. Another waste of space occurs in picking areas where only the front portion of the pick slot is utilized with empty space left behind. The slotting process should take care of this, but we see it a lot in many warehouses. Make sure the pick slot is designed to fit the cubic velocity of the SKU. It is impossible to attain 100% of capacity on a daily basis but the higher % you can maintain in established locations, the more space you will have available.” – Warehouse Layout and Design Ideas to Begin Improving DC Capacity , F. Curtis Barry &Company; Twitter:@FCurtisBarryCo

43. Incorporate forward locations to streamline picking efficiency. “Another way to optimize picking is by using forward locations. Forward locations can be a huge time saver, especially with more popular or high-volume items. The idea is to minimize trips to more remote locations in the warehouse at the same time that you minimize the distance a picker has to travel to get an item.
“Forward staging just means having a set amount of stock in forward locations close to where packing and shipping will occur. When an order for one of these items comes in, an employee can choose items from the forward location quickly. As the quantities in the forward location get low, replenishment stock from elsewhere in the warehouse (or from a less expensive off-site location) can then be brought forward.” – James Maes, 8 Tragically Common Mistakes in Warehouse Setup , Infoplus Commerce; Twitter:@infopluscommerc
44. Rethink your rack and shelving solution, and expand vertically. “Rather than expand the footprint of your warehouse, consider better use of vertical space. Adding taller storage units and the right equipment to pick and store material can help you keep more in the same square footage, rather than adding expansion costs. In addition, think about the type and variety of shelving used. Storing small items on pallet racks wastes space, and makes it easy to misplace items. Rather than using the same racks throughout your warehouse, you may need various types of shelving for different materials. Also, try using standardized bins to help keep shelves neat and orderly.” – Danny Hammack, Five simple ways to improve warehouse efficiency , CIPS; Twitter:@supplymgmt

45. Use the Rule of 4 and aim for 88 percent space utilization. “The rule of 4 as it applies to designing a warehouse is based upon space utilization. The goal in using storage space is to achieve 88 percent space utilization. The reason for this is that a higher utilization requires too many aisles to achieve the storage slot space utilization, and therefore is wasteful. A lower utilization causes the warehouse to have honeycombing, which is the phenomenon of a warehouse that has pallet locations filled with half empty pallets – the locations are full and locked up, but the actual storage space contains more air than product.” – Kevin Dean, How to design a space-efficient and productive new warehouse , Raymond Handling; Twitter:@RaymondHandling
46. Other experts suggest that operations run best at about 85% full. A facility under 85% full reduces potential profit. “Inventory is a huge factor in determining an optimized layout for your warehouse. The type of inventory you distribute, the amount, and the length of time the product is in the warehouse are all things that should be taken into consideration during the planning process. Things like the inbound and outbound process as well as the way the items are stored should also be considered. Aside from the type of inventory, you should also consider how much you are going to keep available at your warehouse at any time. Operations run best at about 85% full, anything more than that will be less efficient and anything less would reduce your potential profit. Projected order statistics along with past data can help determine an optimized solution.” – Optimize Your Warehouse Layout , Supply Chain Link; Twitter:@NFIindustries

47. Use high-density shelving to organize slow-moving inventory. “It should be said that you should focus on the top 20% of your fastest-moving product and place it closest to the loading top, that doesn’t mean the 80% is forgotten. This is where high-density shelving systems come into play.
“In particular, high-density shelving systems are great for storing slow-moving product. Often times, businesses are so focused on their fast-moving product that slower-moving product is put on the wayside.
“What this type of shelving system does is double your storage capacity and make it easy and efficient for employees to retrieve inventory. Its accessibility and space-saving features are the reasons why we added it to the list.” – Elizabeth Mack, Warehouse Solutions You May Need to Make Your Facility More Efficient , Specialized Storage Solutions 
48. Incorporate the four functional warehouse zones in your layout. “The top 4 functional warehouse zones identified using forecasting and projections are storage, yard/dock, picking and VAS/kitting zones. To identify the proper size of the storage area evaluate key factors such as project inventory levels, temperature requirements, product dimensions, fulfillment rules, flow through rates and more. All of these factors will play a part in determining proper storage layout. Data must also be collected to determine yard and dock door requirements. Too little staging space and dock doors can create a significant bottleneck, slowing down warehouse productivity. When determining picking and shipping size and location identifying your picking strategy will help to make these decisions. Consider the space requirements needed for all types and which will work best for your available resources.” – Cold Storage Warehouse Best Practices:Warehouse Layout Optimization , Datex; Twitter:@Datexcorp

49. Maximize your cube. “To maximize the use of a warehouse you need to ‘maximize your cube.’ You need to take advantage of all of the vertical space that you have available. With a conventional fire protection system you can stack products up to 18” below the fire sprinkler heads. In an ESFR (Early Suppression, Fast Response) system this distance is 36”. You may need to reconfigure your existing storage system to take advantage of this space but it could be worth the effort.” – 
How to optimize your existing warehouse space , Raymond Handling; Twitter:@RaymondHandling
50. Keep special processing areas under control. “Create space-saving layouts for special processing areas such VAS and returns. According to Elenbark [Bill Elenbark, senior engineer for the supply chain consulting firm TranSystems], special processing areas have a tendency to creep in size and spread out over larger areas than are required. It may be high time to take a closer look and consider making space-saving changes. If a lot of pallets are sitting on the floor, consider adding a short section of pallet rack to take advantage of cube. Carousels can be used as buffers to accumulate processed returns before returning them to inventory.” – Maida Napolitano, Space Optimization:Mission Impossible? , Logistics Management; Twitter:@LogisticsMgmt
Products and Tracking Solutions from Camcode:

• Rack Location Labels
• Barcode Stickers
• Barcode Warehouse Labels
• UID Labeling
• Inventory Labels
• Aisle Signs
• Equipment ID Tags
• Custom Warehouse Signs
• Étiquettes en aluminium