Warehouse planning pitfall

For companies that carry inventory, it is important from an economic and logistical point of view to ensure that the structure of the warehouse is optimal and efficient. "This is also often the case with pure trading companies. Here, a great deal of focus is placed on warehouse planning and set-up right from the start," says Jürgen Effner, Managing Director of TOPREGAL GmbH, noting, "Changing conditions, customer demands and the ever-increasing online trade are also forcing small and medium-sized companies in specialist sectors such as food, leisure supplies, building materials and technology to expand warehouse capacities. This is also due to the supply bottlenecks that have developed over the past two years." Pitfalls quickly arise in construction. Which those are, the professional for camp building reveals.

Mistake 1: Don't plan, just do it

It is a way of being that is quite remarkable: instead of talking a lot or visioning, just tackle it and get going. "In particular, general managers whose own approach is very practically oriented only see long planning as a loss of time and money," Effner knows and warns, "But those who don't plan in detail or only do it on paper risk getting warehouse racks that can't be installed for a variety of reasons." These include, for example, pipes on the ceiling that were not taken into account, which cause the actual ceiling height to be lower. In general, companies often quickly lose sight of anything above eye level when planning storage. However, it pays to invest a little more time in planning. Effner clarifies, "If you take a close look at the conditions on site at the beginning and, if possible, carry out measurements in advance that are based on the real conditions, you can even easily configure your shelves yourself online."

Mistake 2: Not taking full advantage of the possibilities

If you have space in terms of height and width, you should take full advantage of it. "Even palletized goods can be stored in height without any problems if the shelf load capacity is right. In planning, the load capacity of each individual level must be taken into account here on the one hand, as well as the actual total load of the racking structure without fail," notes Jürgen Effner. He suggests, "Don't plan the shelf contents on one side, but rather distribute large weights over the entire available area and thus over several systems." On the one hand, this distributes loads properly, and on the other hand, it may provide the opportunity to better organize shelving levels according to turnover frequency. In addition to pallet racking, TOPREGAL also offers the right racking for many other fields of application in the warehouse environment. For its storage racks, there is an option to combine other types of racks, such as tire racks or inclined shelving, if required. "The basic structure of our system is modular. This means that our storage racks can be designed very individually, can be expanded and are also suitable for other areas of application, such as a mobile workbench, multifunctional racking with integrable cabinets and drawers or packing station," explains Effner. Nevertheless, it is better to be a little more generous with the weights when planning. Above all, official certification in accordance with DGUV Rule 108-007 or DIN EN 15512 is essential. Depending on the intended use, it is essential to consider the required shelf and bay load for heavy-duty shelving. "Unlike many standard pallet racks with a depth of 110 centimeters, we also offer 80-centimeter depths for disposable pallets and other goods," says Effner.

Mistake 3: Not using and calculating industrial trucks

This pitfall also often arises when planning purely on paper. "I definitely advise using pallet conveyors, pallet jacks and forklifts for logistics operations. I am aware that specialist retailers in particular, who are building up a warehouse in addition to their on-site business due to online trading, shy away from such investments. But it is only with them that options arise to store at height and speed up processes in the warehouse." It is also important to consider the maneuvering behavior of industrial trucks. Here, the required turning radius is often underestimated. "Depending on the lifting device, the distance between the racks should be 1.5 m to 5 m," says Effner. In general, Jürgen Effner also knows from experience that it makes sense to bring those working on site on board for larger warehouses. "No one knows the pitfalls and time wasters in their own warehouse better than the employees who deal with the system and the conditions every day. If they point out problems, they should be taken seriously and the complaints resolved as quickly as possible. Because at the end of the day, smooth and efficient processes in the warehouse mean more efficient processes and, as a rule, satisfied customers."

Warehouse Logistics