CaThe layout of your warehouse is the foundation of the efficiency (or lack thereof) in your operations.

From inventory management to order fulfillment, your warehouse layout design will either streamline your business processes or
slow them down.

If you need help planning your warehouse layout design, we’ll show you 3 principles of an efficient warehouse layout and 4 tips
for getting it done right.

By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of what you’ll need to do to design a functional and effective warehouse.

Principles of an Efficient Warehouse Layout

Before you start designing your warehouse, you should understand what you’re trying to achieve with your warehouse layout
design.

Here are 3 major principles to keep in mind when planning your warehouse:

Flow
Warehouse flow can be summarized as the uninterrupted movement of materials, people, and traffic within your building.

Your first goal should be to cut down on any areas of high traffic or potential for cross-flow crashes.

So, each activity that an employee performs must be located as close as possible to the activity that precedes it and proceeds
from it.

That also means materials used to perform those activities should be situated as close as possible to each workstation.

Your second goal should be to eliminate as much movement and disruption as possible.

Accessibility
Every product and all products on pallets should be accessible by everyone, usually without the need to move one product to
get to another.

That means structuring your pallet racks in rows that are wide enough to accommodate pallet jacks and trucks, and stacking
and stocking items strategically for minimal interference with one another.

Space
Consider how to maximize the space you can afford, taking into consideration storage, stock, offices, working areas, empty
pallet storage, battery charging, etc.

With a wide variety of vertical racks and freestanding equipment, you should be able to design your warehouse in the way you
need it initially, while being flexible enough to change it in the future if desired.

Tips on How to Plan a Warehouse Layout Design

Now that you know the basics of what your warehouse needs to achieve, here are a few tips on how to achieve it.

Define Your Objectives

Defining your objectives begins with the principles we outlined above and is carried forward by the specific goals your particular
business needs to achieve within your specific industry.

Each business will have different objectives for their warehouse.

Some businesses want to optimize their inventory receiving, while others need more efficient pick and pack processes, and others
will design their warehouses for crossdocking.
Regardless of your objectives, make sure that your warehouse design helps you achieve them.

 se Exercise in Layout Planning

o Six-step simplified planning procedure, charts, and diagrams

 Systematic Layout Planning (SLP)

o Four phases of every layout project
o Systematic planning procedures, gathering and projecting data

 Profiling and Inventory Analysis

o Activity, order, and inventory profiles
o Zoning and picking methods
o Matching your methods to inventory levels and flows
o Storage capacity calculations
 Handling and Storing Equipment (Simple and Complex)
o Unit load handling, storage, case, and item picking

 Case Exercises in Methods Selection (storage, handling, order picking)

 Layouts and Flow Patterns

o Commodity, activity, and other storage zones
o Basic flow patterns and their benefits
o Charting your operations and defi ning your activity-areas

 Flow of Materials Analysis

o Ways to measure and visualize material flow
o Quantified flow diagram and flow analysis
o Combining flow and other-than flow relationships

 Case Exercise in Establishing and Estimating Space Requirements

o Shorter and longer range space projections
o Balancing space required to space available

 Case Exercise in Warehouse Layout and Materials Handling

o Adjusting for physical features of the facility
o Rack and aisle orientations

 Material Handling Methods

 Evaluation of Alternative Plans - Costs and Intangibles

 Detailed Layouts
o Rack storage and dock areas, shelving arrangements, and slotting
o Application of SLP to equipment layout

 Case Problem in Distribution Center Planning

o Developing a preliminary arrangement and improving the plan
o Integrating storage and handling methods
o Responding to changing and unforeseen requirements

 Organizing Your Layout Project

o Recap of phases, steps, and planning documents
o Working forms and templates for your next project