Business Distribution Services: Does Your Warehouse Have Everything it Needs?

Regardless of whether you’re a distributor about to launch a new product in your market, or the established business looking for viable distributors, in the end, you need to make sure your warehouse is set up right the first time. After all, if your business needs to provide time-sensitive goods to a customer base that considers on-time delivery a critical performance indicator, then properly setting up your warehouse isn’t just good for customers, it’s essential to your survival. So, what does your warehouse need to be ready?

Optimized Warehouse Layout

First and foremost, your warehouse must be well laid out so that high-traffic areas are easily identified and transit lanes are well-understood. This is as much about protecting your inventory as it is about maximizing the square footage within your warehouse. Make sure you have ample room between rack and shelving units so that forklifts and scissor trailers have an easy time moving inventory from one location to the next. Finally, make sure you’ve clearly accounted for structural obstructions like pillars and beams within your warehouse layout.

Heavy-Duty Shelving and Mezzanines

It’s important to protect all inventory classes from damage. This includes protecting raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished good inventory. Heavy-duty shelving, coupled with industrial mezzanines, are ideal solutions that allow warehouse employees to easily pick and place inventory. Ultimately, it’s a matter of making sure that damage to inventory is less likely to occur. Heavy-duty shelving and storage units are well-constructed and sturdy enough to handle, store, and protect large crates.

Quality Parts and Tools

Having the right parts and tools in the warehouse is another essential aspect you cannot forget. Be sure you have everything you need to keep your shop in the warehouse working when it comes to needing washers, seals, shims, bolts, and all the works. It is nice to have a trustful vendor that can supply you with all these parts and tools to keep your warehouse workflow steady without any speed bumps. Find a manufacturer like Phoenix Specialty, which has ring washers and shims for every size and width for any job.

Forklifts and Scissor Lifts

Forklifts and scissor lifts are some of the most common warehouse equipment available when you need to move heavy inventory. Ultimately, it’s about matching your warehouse equipment to the types of inventory you’ll be storing. Make sure your equipment is able to withstand the weight that comes from moving crates within the warehouse and out to delivery trucks. Finally, ensure that all employees are well-trained and capable of operating these machines.

Industrial Floor Tape and Warning Placards

No matter where you set up your warehouse, you’re guaranteed to be required to adhere to local regulations concerning warehouse employee safety. As such, make sure you use bright industrial floor tape in order to clearly distinguish where equipment can move and what portions of the warehouse are off limits to human traffic. Finally, placards and warning signs are an absolute necessity in helping warehouse employees navigate those aforementioned high-traffic areas. When setting up your warehouse, be sure to walk around it first and review its structure. Next, map out how your inventory will be laid out in order to maximize your square footage. Match your equipment and shelving units to the types of inventory you’ll be carrying and always use industrial tape and placards to define high-traffic areas.