The United States is witnessing a warehouse shortage due to the growth of ecommerce businesses. In fact, the availability of warehouse space for the logistics sector in the US fell to 8% in the first quarter of 2017, from nearly 9% in the same time period in the previous year, according to data published by Statista.
Finding a warehouse with office for rent in Houston can be a tough task, given that the success of a warehouse depends on a lot of factors. Along with the space, staff and equipment, you need to take into account the processes and future plans to create a strategic warehouse plan, says an expert at Samuel L. Bryant, provider of affordable options for warehouses for rent in Houston.
Here are some useful steps in creating just such a strategic plan.
If you are a business that has been operating for a considerably long time, you must already have a warehouse with office for rent, such as those available in Houston. However, with changing demands, there is a need to take a look at the current facility to ensure whether it meets the evolving requirements of your business. Begin with creating a rough yet accurate sketch of the warehouse building and floor plan. Include all the equipment in the warehouse. Take into consideration the existing processes and the responsibilities your staff shares at various sections of the warehouse. There are high chances that you’ll identify a discrepancy in what is actually happening and what should be happening.
Every business has different storage and inventory needs depending on the items they deal with and the seasons they operate in. This will also impact the type of products that need to be stored. Take a look at the inventory to plan and predict if the space is being efficiently utilized or if there is room for stocking greater inventory. If you have stocked everything horizontally till date, you are definitely wasting the vertical space. Include racks and mezzanine flooring to maximize storage space. After that, store items based on material, handling and item category.
No matter how efficient your warehouse operations might be, there will always be some room for improvement. Since you aim for perfection, be extremely critical of your warehouse facilities, processes and equipment, to identify critical areas that can be improved. Having a clear picture will help you come up with the most practical and efficient solutions to overcome weak points and overcome flaws in your business operations. If you need to improve your flooring system, look for warehouse flooring uk company that have many flooring options and offer excellent benefits for a wide range of different purposes.
Before you implement new solutions, make sure you assess them financially, considering the time value of the money, its impact on operational costs and taxes. Make sure that the changes you want to make are safe and easy to adjust to for the staff. The plan should be easy to manage too.
Once all the above steps have been achieved and you have judiciously assessed your plans, it is time to implement them. Warehouse improvement is a work in progress and can entail continuous changes. When the changes have been implemented, you may utilize a warehouse management software to monitor and manage the day-to-day activities in the warehouse.
So, make sure to keep a strong eye on the warehouse operations, while updating them regularly to always achieve efficiency and perfection to make the most of your warehouse, or lease efficient space, such as those for rent in Houston.