In order to be efficient and keep productivity levels high, it is common for businesses to have an organizational strategy. And the way you maintain your storage facility plays a key role in the growth of your manufacturing facility as well as determines how efficient it is. The good news is that every step you take can make or break your bottom line.
To help you make the most of your space – and have a bottom line you are proud of – we’ve put together a checklist for quality manufacturing storage organization. Here’s what you need to know.
Properly Utilize Space
The layout of your space is important. And the most effective layouts are those that provide an undisrupted flow of traffic, both foot traffic and machine. It is easy to get new shipments in and leave them in an area for a bit of time before moving them to their designated spot in the warehouse. Days are busy and it happens – we all do it. Unfortunately, not following through with this one step can add time to your processes as a few minutes here or there to go around a pile of unshelved inventory can add up over time.
Take a look at the way your business operates and determine the best, most efficient way to move traffic and utilize space.
Invest in the Right Storage Option
Investing in the right storage option is important. You could choose a brick-and-mortar warehouse that has been pre-designed and may or may not be in a convenient location. Or, you can invest in the right storage option which is a clear span structure – and this will give you the quality manufacturing storage organization you need, wherever you need i.
Clearspan tents offer you:
- Open floor space to allow traffic to easily flow through the space.
- The ability to designate certain areas for certain things, such as shipping and receiving, can allow you to keep everything organized.
- The flexibility to grow and expand as you need it – without having to get a different space. You can use the one you have.
- A solution that is cost-effective and can fit your budget, no matter the size.
Set Aside Time to Clean
You need to keep your space clean. Employees getting caught up in everyday processes can make it easy for things to get moved or misplaced – without even realizing it. Little by little, the cleanliness of your warehouse can get out of hand. The result? It makes everything move less efficiently.
Set aside time every week or so to clean your storage space. This means not only actually cleaning the space, but also using this time to remove the clutter. Get everything back to where it needs to be so that work within the space can happen more easily and freely without any disruptions. Taking this step can positively impact your bottom line.
Make Safety a Priority
Safety should be a priority in any workplace. It doesn’t matter how much you want to increase your profits, putting your employees at risk in your manufacturing storage is not something you ever want to do. Instead, take steps to ensure the safety of everyone.
Keeping a safe work environment allows you the space for your employees to get the job done appropriately and easily – and with minimal risk.
Keep Minimal Inventory
Maintaining lean inventory habits can be a step in the right direction to reducing extra clutter that can disrupt the flow of your business and cause safety issues. It also gives your employees fewer items that they have to manage or sort through. And, by minimizing this, every process is able to move faster and more efficiently. Does that mean you will have to reduce your inventory or lower your level of production? No, not at all. Instead, have suppliers deliver your orders in smaller batches but more frequently. There is no hard-fast rule that requires you to get your inventory in one bulk delivery.
When it comes to stocking your inventory, you need to ultimately do what is best for your business. Keep in mind that with recent supply chain issues, keeping minimal inventory can be tough and you may have no choice but to order in bulk when you can to ensure you have what you need to meet demand.
Design it for Easy Organization
When you take steps to organize your manufacturing storage, you want to design it in a way that is functional and easy to use. For instance, your employees should always know where to find what they are looking for – and they should be able to count on the item to be exactly where it should be. To do this, you will want to look at some practices that are designed to do this. For example, consider shelving units for smaller items to keep them organized and easily accessible. Another idea is to group your life items together. For inventory that often goes together, house it together. Not only will it save aggravation for your employees having to track down each item, but it saves time – and you know what that means! Finally, labeling is so important when it comes to organization. Develop a labeling system that makes sense for your manufacturing operation – and be consistent about using it. This will help everything have a place that is easy to find.
Focus on Training
Last but certainly not least is the idea of having a strong focus on training. If you want a methodical, organized system for your manufacturing storage, then you need to make sure everything that has a hand in it is on board. And that means training your employees.
Any organizational systems you develop, your employees should know and follow. This also applies to any cleaning and decluttering expectations as well.
Your employees are very hands-on individuals and they need to know how you want things organized so that they may work to maintain them.
Consider this your checklist or even a starting point to get your manufacturing storage organized. Remember, it all comes down to having the right space – a clearspan tent. Everything else will fall into place.
