As warehouse design consultants we are often asked what are the main considerations that you must take account of when you are designing a new warehouse? There are range of factors that one must consider which will lead you to taking action long before you start the design process.
Information & Data
Any great warehouse solution design starts with the best quality of information. Information takes a number of forms, but includes current process, organisation structure, information on customer requirements, and a host of other things, but usually and most importantly clear and well audited product throughput data.
To get the right solution design it will be impossible to achieve this without developing the clear set of business volumetrics in advance. Sometimes we are called by clients to help rectify problematic solution designs, or to fix designs before they are implemented. In most cases where we are called to make such improvements, when we analyse what went wrong in the design process. In nearly all cases we find some form of data misalignment or erroneous assumptions.
Good data can also be made to be wrong by applying sometimes over ambitious growth targets or unrealistic objectives within the core data set. One of the most common errors that we see is where assumptions are made that the number of products to be handled will be significantly reduced from current levels, or that inventory will be reduced without any evidence of how this may be achieved. This can often be a symptom of arbitrary goal setting within an organisation, but sometimes it may be simply because the right questions were not asked during the design process.
Establishing the right range of solutions
Moving on from understanding the critical data and
information, the role of the warehouse consultant is to ensure that the right
range of potential solution options are considered. Sometimes we come across
solution designs where a particular type of operation (such as an automated
solution) was the only thing a business was interested in implementing. Keeping
an open mind to the range and types of solution from the most basic manual
solutions to the most heavily engineered automated solutions is critical in
ensuring that the right product mix is developed.
Service Aspiration
It is also important not to close off opportunities to create a mix of solution types that may provide the best mix of service and cost within an operation. It may be sensible to automate certain repetitive or space intensive parts of an operation, but retain more manual solutions where it is sensible and cost effective to do so. There is no right or wrong answer at the outset of a process with the exception of closed mindedness.
Culture
An often overlooked factor is to consider the culture of the organisation within which the solution is to operate. The desires, ambitions and objectives of a corporate body can lead to very different types of solution choices and even locations. Again with this factor there is no right or wrong answer. What is important is that solutions are designed to fit the cultural aspirations of the company and its team.
Capital Costs
Clearly capital cost is of paramount importance when designing solutions. Whilst automated solutions may often offer the optimum operating cost and service efficiency, for many companies the implementation cost and complexity of the design process may put such highly technical solutions out of reach.
Time
Time is a critical factor within the design process how urgent is the need to change? How long do we have left on our current operating leases? How fast will we outgrow our existing solution? Again understanding time constraints and contractual obligations is critical to making the right warehouse solution choices.
In summary, there are a range of broad considerations that we must take into account when designing a warehouse. Each one interconnects and is just as important as the other factors. Avoiding assumptions and broad-brush estimations about what the future world will look like for a company will help massively in ensuring that solutions designed will provide longevity and sustainability for your organisation.
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