No matter the economic climate, building a new warehouse, or even redesigning an existing warehouse. To minimize costs and prevent a reduction in productivity, it is highly recommended to invest in technology and tools that ensure longevity. Size, storage capacity and functionality are the main factors to consider when investing in these tools.
What is future proofing?
Future proofing is the process of anticipating the future and developing a method that will make it unlikely for a product or service to become obsolete. This is used often in industries, such as, electronics, medical, and industrial design.
That being said, future proofing your warehouse is paramount for your business’ success. Below are 3 ways to future-proof your warehouse:
Software Integration
Warehouse management systems did not start out automated, and when they gradually made the change to automation, pre-existing systems were not supported. Implementing automation technology early can improve efficiency and productivity while reducing the need for manual labor.
Business Intelligence
The most effective companies are those that can use their data to improve their business processes. For instance, the data collected can be integrated across various systems to be used to optimize processes, anticipate changes in demand, and enhance availability. Warehouse staff can use these data collection systems with ease and maximize efficiency in production.
Modular Design
As businesses shift from traditional settings to e-commerce, there is a large possibility for inaccuracy as few businesses can accurately project future warehousing needs. To prevent falling behind, businesses are moving toward more modular systems that allow them to easily scale and repurpose environments.
Decentralized module-based design allows companies to utilize only the functions they need at the time. As growth occurs, the company can introduce more business intelligence tools as needed.
There are several benefits to future-proofing a warehouse:
1. Improved efficiency
As you might have noticed before, future-proofing your warehouse will be more efficient. By planning for future growth and considering potential changes in technology, processes, and customer demands, a warehouse can operate more efficiently and effectively.
2. Increased capacity
Future-proofing a warehouse can help increase its capacity to store and handle more inventory, which can be beneficial as the business grows and demand for products increases.
3. Reduced costs
Investing in technology and infrastructure that will remain useful for the long term is beneficial to any organization. Doing this can reduce the need for upgrades and maintenance effectively resulting in savings.
4. Improved customer satisfaction
Future-proofing your warehouse inevitably results in more efficiency for your business. Being able to handle more inventory can improve delivery times and customer satisfaction.
5. Increased competitiveness
Having an adaptable warehouse will give you the competitive edge because of how easy it is to adjust to changing market conditions. Those who are unprepared may fall behind while you waste no time.
Primo Corporations offers a number of comprehensive engineering and warehouse services and large scale manufacturing products. To learn how we can apply our expertise to your next project, contact us today.
