A Guide To Warehouse Design For Manufacturing & Production
As manufacturing and production businesses grow and evolve, their space requirements also change. One way to enhance existing premises and improve productivity and flow in these environments is to invest in updates, redevelopments, or refurbishments to use existing space to its fullest potential.
Whether your business isn't using your current warehouse optimally, or you feel your current layout and design is holding you back, there are a number of key aspects that are important to be aware of when updating your warehouse design.
Key Priorities For Manufacturing & Production Warehouses
To understand how to enhance your manufacturing and production space, the first thing to consider is what your key priorities are in design. Some of the fundamental areas you may want to improve could include:
Space
Running low on space is a crucial concern for many warehouse operations. From introducing technology with a higher footprint to the growth of manufacturing into the processes and sectors, space is at a premium. Implementing design choices that provide additional space within the same technical footprint is invaluable in warehouse design and manufacturing and production businesses.
Flexibility
Flexibility to suit a businesses' changing needs is vital for production and manufacturing. In industries where the process or steps to develop or produce a product may change, having the flexibility to meet this new demand is essential. Warehouse design focused on providing the flexibility to accept different workflows, levels of stock, and storage requirements is helpful for any business. This need for flexibility is particularly essential in production and manufacturing, where supply and contracts may fluctuate throughout the year.
Flow
Flow is a crucial component in improving productivity in warehouse environments. A manufacturing process or production line that flows easily can help businesses increase output and reduce wasted time. This practice applies to all business areas, including the day-to-day manufacturing or production process. Flow isn't limited to the workshop floor. Anything from administration duties to break times can benefit from better flow in the warehouse to make the transition as easy as possible.
What's Important For Manufacturing & Production Warehouse Designs?
The key priorities for manufacturing and production warehouses are a strong starting point for deciding the upgrades and updates that are most important to your specific premises. Some of the most important reasons to invest in refurbishment and redevelopment for your warehouse could include:
Room for Machinery Expansion & Upgrades
As business needs change, extra space is often necessary to accommodate different equipment, machinery, and warehouse processes. For example, the introduction of automated robotics or machinery may require a different dimension of space than existing equipment within the warehouse. When redesigning a warehouse, considering the requirements for machinery upgrades and expansion can provide a solid foundation to understand what needs to be moved, changed, or reconsidered.
Space for Business Growth & Development
Growth isn't limited to the warehouse floor in manufacturing and production. Space is required for many parts of the process, from a room for employee breaks to ample space for offices and on-site facility requirements. Combining warehouse and office facilities into one building may make sense over paying for two separate premises. Investing in design that adds to the existing footprint of the warehouse can be valuable in enabling that growth and development over time.
Innovative Storage for Components & Materials
Storage and the space required to keep materials, manufacturing components, and goods ready for shipping are key concerns for production and manufacturing businesses. Redesigning a warehouse to accommodate vertical storage, for example, can be an effective way to significantly increase storage capacity without cutting into existing, required space. Storage is vital for design in every aspect of a warehouse, from tools and maintenance equipment to products and manufacturing waste output.
Freedom of Movement on the Floor
The ability to move through a workflow and easily access different parts of the manufacturing and production process are top priorities for warehouse environments. As flow is a consideration in good warehouse design, reaching each end of a production line quickly and effectively is vital to improving productivity and allowing for easy access to different work areas. Warehouse design that focuses on freedom of movement, both for employees and for machinery and equipment as needed, can help businesses prevent bottlenecks while keeping production as high as possible.
Specialist Environments for Production & Manufacturing Requirements
Depending on your specialisation or contracts for manufacturing and production, your warehouse may need to meet specific demands and requirements. For example, temperature-controlled storage for perishable or delicate components or refrigerated storage for the completed product from a manufacturing workflow. A good warehouse design should consider specialist needs, allowing for easy and effective storage of items in safe locations without interrupting or derailing the workflow and productivity for the rest of the process.
Solutions for Warehouse Design For Manufacturing & Production
Creating a warehouse design that suits the needs of your business both now and for future production and manufacture is the ideal goal when refurbishing or developing. Tailoring your space to fit your requirements as you grow and develop can ensure you have suitable premises that are as flexible as necessary for changing contracts, goals, and business focus. Here are a few of the solutions you could implement to make the most of your warehouse design:
Introducing Partitions for Effective Space Division
Steel partitions are an effective way to divide up space and create dedicated rooms within an open warehouse space. Partitions support better workflow but give each manufacturing stage its own dedicated space, while also providing division between different processes and practices that don't need to occupy the same area. For example, using partition walls to separate one production workflow from another can allow each to be as productive as possible, with less distraction and confusion.
Partitions are also valuable in creating safe or secure spaces within buildings. For example, if your warehouse floor requires hard hats and safety gear, a separation between the warehouse space and staff areas can prompt employees to transition into the necessary safety clothing for each area. To prevent universal access, sensitive production involving high-value or high-risk materials can also be handled with restricted access.
Utilising Controlled Rooms & Areas for Specialist Processes
Controlled rooms are valuable for production and manufacture in many industries, from food production to pharmaceuticals. If your business is considering moving into a new sector that requires control restrictions, investing in the warehouse design to accommodate that is a valuable first step. Refrigerated spaces, temperature-controlled rooms and humidity-controlled spaces are all vital for various processes and practices on the warehouse floor. Solutions such as white wall partitioning available to create hygienic, temperature controlled and other specialist areas within a warehouse, while clean room partitions can be used to create laboratory grade spaces that are vital in certain sectors.
Controlled rooms are also valuable for security purposes. With specific contracts involving strictly need-to-know processes or trade secrets, secure spaces may be a requirement. Spaces that require strict use of HVAC or breathing equipment can also benefit from dedicated, controlled rooms to reduce the need for general usage on the warehouse floor, saving costs and providing a safer working environment.
Creating Additional Space With Mezzanine Levels
Production mezzanines can be used in a range of valuable ways within a manufacturing or production environment. Consolidating office and warehouse space into the same premises is a common and practical choice that many production and manufacturing companies opt for. Warehouse mezzanine levels are ideal for introducing office and staffing areas without sacrificing the floor space already in use for other factory processes.
Mezzanine levels are particularly valuable for roles that require division between warehouse-floor work and administration responsibilities, such as regular audits and stock checks, and are an excellent way to acquire additional space without the need to relocate. Mezzanines floors are also a good solution to increase storage capacity within the facility, to use to house machinery or equipment, or to integrate with either new or existing production lines and logistics systems.
Designing Custom Shelving & Storage for Efficient Use of Space
Introducing custom shelving and storage can be an invaluable way to free up floor space within a warehouse, providing a way to streamline workflows and keep specific items and tools in their designated areas. For example, custom cabinetry and storage containers that are easily accessible for various tools used in production stages can help reduce time spent travelling to remote storage areas to track down different items.
Tailored warehouse shelving is also valuable in using spaces created by partitions, ensuring you're utilising each space to the fullest for growth and development. Certain valuable materials and tools can also be stored in locked or limited accessibility custom storage, reducing the risk of theft and breakage. For greater efficiency, storage is a key element of refurbishment.
Stacked Pallet Racking & Material Storage to Free Up Floor Space
Vertical storage is an excellent way to reduce warehouse floor space wastage in production and manufacturing facilities. Creating dedicated pallet racking and high-rise storage takes advantage of the upwards space available in premises that may go unused in certain building areas. Well-designed pallet racking systems can also be customised to widths and scales that suit in-house machinery such as forklifts, making the storage process as smooth as possible while enabling maximum storage density and efficiency to be achieved.
Practical & Durable Workbenches & Storage Cabinets
Workbenches are an important part of many commercial workspaces, particularly in the manufacturing and production sectors. When updating or setting up a workspace, it is important to select the most suitable type of commercial and industrial workbenches for your requirements. They should of course be tough, durable and built to a high standard to ensure many years of trouble free service. The type of bench and storage cabinets that are needed will also depend on factors including the kind of tasks they will be used for, the size of the space and number of personnel needing to use workbenches, and the environment in which they will be used.
Options include high quality steel workbenches either with or without built in storage, which is configurable in a number of different ways to suit requirements. Heavy duty welded workbenches are also available for use in tougher environments, while ESD and anti-static benches are designed for facilities in which equipment that may present risks associated with antistatic discharges are used.
Machine Housing & Safety Features
Improving your warehouse's safety can help improve productivity, enhance staff confidence, and ensure your employees are safe in their day-to-day work. Implementation of safety features such as machine housing and room-specific alarm and fire systems can be effective in redesigning a warehouse to be safer while obtaining a higher level of productivity. Safety is a top concern for production and manufacturing businesses, making it a vital consideration for any redesign.
Work With The Experts In Workspace Creation
If you have plans for refurbishment or redevelopment of your warehouse, our specialist team can help. We’ve got decades of experience in delivering tailored solutions for companies in a wide range of sectors, from engineering and automotive businesses requiring specialist production facilities, to the aviation sector where clients have a range of requirements for storing and managing parts and goods.
Through all our projects, the team at Avanta offers a high quality and fully comprehensive turnkey service, helping our partners to create warehouses and other commercial spaces that perfectly meet the needs of their organisation. Get in touch today to learn more about our expert services and how we can work with your business.