A well-designed warehouse layout is crucial to ensure the success of your operations. It can impact your ability to efficiently process orders and streamline your operations. Whether you are planning to enhance your current warehouse design or constructing a new warehouse or distribution center, optimizing your warehouse layout is essential for succe

The benefits of optimising your warehouse layout and design

Optimizing your warehouse layout is a cost-effective way to boost warehouse productivity, save money, and achieve your business goals while ensuring timely order delivery to your customers. An optimized warehouse design enhances traffic flow, reduces stock losses, and improves overall efficiency. To achieve a fully optimized warehouse layout, you need to design the flow of inventory, material handling equipment, and personnel to match the type and volume of products that you handle in your warehouse. A well-suited warehouse layout for your operations can result in a streamlined process and turn your business into a well-oiled machine.

Layout design principles: how to optimise your warehouse for maximum efficiency

Poor warehouse layout has a negative impact on your bottom line. The good news is that you can easily begin optimising your warehouse design using these simple tips from our supply chain experts.

When trying to optimise your warehouse design, data is your best friend. Your data should drive the layout of your warehouse and allow you to identify the stock which is picked most often and group these items in the most efficient manner. Take a deep dive into your current and projected data on the activities in each area of your warehouse, including: Receiving, Shipping, Assembly and special handling areas, Quality inspection, Reverse storage, Forward picking, Cross docking,
You’ll also need to look at the inventory you hold and identify things such as seasonal patterns.

How a warehouse management system (WMS) helps you optimise your warehouse layout

A warehouse management system (WMS) can provide valuable data to optimize your warehouse design efficiently. Besides, a WMS offers many other ways to improve your warehouse layout, such as replenishing a full pallet in one movement and ensuring suitable material handling equipment for your products.
Your WMS serves as a facilitator to a well-designed warehouse by organizing, managing, and processing warehouse activities and resources. However, if your warehouse's physical layout restricts the implementation of these activities, it limits your ability to optimize your WMS usage.

To ensure your warehouse consultants leverage the functionality of your WMS to support the design and vice versa, it's recommended to involve your WMS provider and physical consultants from the project's start. This enables you to maximize the benefits of your WMS, material handling equipment (MHE), and warehouse layout from the outset.

To witness a world-class supply chain in action, download the Tarsus Distribution case study, which demonstrates how Tarsus, in partnership with Supply Chain Junction, utilized Manhattan SCALE to improve their warehouse efficiency by 60%.

Create a plan for your warehouse design

When planning your warehouse layout, you need to consider various factors to optimize your warehouse design and improve your picking strategy. Here are some important things to consider:

Design with the end in mind: Start by identifying your objectives for your warehouse facility and operations, and prioritize them accordingly. You should also consider any constraints that may impact your ability to meet those objectives. It's crucial to design a warehouse that supports anticipated business growth drivers and is flexible enough to accommodate unexpected changes that may arise.

Work with an experienced partner: Given the criticality and cost of designing, building, modifying, or retrofitting your distribution center (DC), it's recommended to work with an experienced partner who can guide you through the process. With thousands of options available for warehouse process flow, layout, and material handling equipment, it's essential to partner with someone who can help you make informed decisions.

Optimize the layout of your warehouse and picking strategy: Your warehouse layout should be optimized to reduce unnecessary travel time and enhance order processing speed. You can achieve this by considering factors such as the frequency of SKU movement, the size and shape of your products, the volume of inbound and outbound shipments, and the number of personnel and material handling equipment required to handle the products.

In conclusion, planning your warehouse layout is crucial for improving your warehouse operations' efficiency and productivity. By working with an experienced partner, designing with the end in mind, and optimizing your warehouse layout and picking strategy, you can achieve a well-designed warehouse that supports your business growth and meets your customers' expectations.

Golden Zoning

Material Handling Equipment (MHE) - ensure that the MHE you use is appropriate for the products you’re handling and the layout of your warehouse. This can include items such as pallet racking, conveyors, forklifts and automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS).
Space Utilisation - make sure that you’re making the most of your available space by utilising vertical space and considering different storage options such as mezzanine floors or high-density storage solutions.

Flexibility - design your warehouse with flexibility in mind, so that it can adapt to changes in demand, SKU profile, customer requirements or seasonal fluctuations.

Safety - ensure that your warehouse layout is designed with safety in mind, including safe zones for pedestrians, clear aisle ways, proper lighting and signage.

By carefully considering these factors and designing your warehouse layout with them in mind, you can optimise your warehouse for maximum efficiency and productivity, leading to cost savings and improved customer satisfaction.