Our approach to warehouse design is a combination of process review, data analysis, detailed knowledge of storage and materials handling systems and creativity of thought about how the warehousing problem can be solved. Our aim is to optimise your warehouse operations for the business now and into the future to provide long term productivity benefits and cost savings.
Warehouse Design
We design in 3D so you can see what your warehouse will look like.
We do warehouse layouts to rework existing or design new sites. Once you have set your warehouse layout it usually doesn’t change for a long time, so this is an opportunity to lock in the best possible fundamentals for efficient operation. Understanding what a business needs to get done to serve its customers is the starting point. Then we design the storage systems and materials handling equipment around that. But you’re still not done until you have a product slotting plan that defines where your items are stored so you minimise travel path during picking and put-away operations. Product slotting is optional. Ask us about product slotting to find out more.
key benefits
INCREASED STORAGE CAPACITY
A better layout of modern racking and shelving systems will make a better use of the space you have to fit more stock into your warehouse.
LOWER REAL ESTATE COSTS
Investing in a better warehouse layout will delay or avoid a warehouse move to a larger more costly site. This can save you millions of dollars in lease costs over time.
INCREASED STAGING SPACE
Warehouses are often built with insufficient inbound and outbound staging areas. Increased storage density allows larger staging areas to be created to increase throughput capacity
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
Modern forklifts and materials handling equipment will work in narrower aisles and higher racking and reduce total distance moved.
BETTER SELECTIVITY
An overcrowded warehouse can be transformed with high density storage with better selectivity. Multiple stock moves to put and pick are eliminated.
FASTER PROCESSING
The net result of a better warehouse design in a step up in the baseline warehouse speed and efficiency for every physical process.
3D Warehouse Design
Even now most warehouses are designed in CAD products that only show you a plan view of the layout or an elevation showing rack heights. We design in 3D first making sure we accurately measure the building in all its complexity of pillars and roof trusses and sprinklers to make sure everything fits and is compliant with racking, building and fire standards. Click the button to explore a warehouse design in 3D.
Virtual Walkthrough
We can create a video walkthrough and explanation of the warehouse features that you can share with your team so they can see the new design before it is built.
Spectacular Results
Close up views in a 3D model help staff to see how their warehouse will look. Odd shapes can be maxed out with careful racking placement. The site in the video yielded 46% more storage capacity. We doubled the capacity of one of the first sites we designed. Another client had plenty of racking but couldn’t use it because they didn’t have enough staging space and clogged their aisles with inbound stock. By tweaking their existing layout, we helped them achieve an 83% increase in usable capacity.
One of the key principles of warehouse design is to match the storage systems to the stock. The warehouse design below was for a small wine seller with a small space who needed to max out their capacity. By rethinking the racking depth we were able to fit 12 bottles deep instead of 9 which enabled much greater storage capacity and selectivity as a full case could be held in two pick faces instead of three.
We have many more examples of substantial increases in capacity without sacrificing selectivity or access speed.
Timing depends on size and complexity of the site to be designed. Smaller sites may only take a few days with larger sites potentially taking weeks of work if there is also a reworking of the warehouse processes with new storage systems and automation.
Cost depends on size and complexity prices start from $5,000 for a simple site and complex designs requiring consulting and complex analysis costing $30,000 or more.
Typical deliverables for a warehouse design include:
- 3D Design viewable online
- includes dimensions
- standard views
- Detailed Design Report
- Design principles explanation
- Warehouse capacities for different storage types
- Materials Handling Equipment specification
- Racking and shelving specification
- Layout and configuration of racking and shelving
- Pedestrian walkways
Yes. If you just want a 3D model to document your warehouse for internal use or promotional purposes then we can measure and model your warehouse. You get a dimensionally accurate model that you can view in detail and use to plan new infrastructure, map out your product slotting plans, develop new process flows, share with others locally or around the world. We can also record a virtual walk through video for sharing with customers or suppliers to promote your business. Pricing starts from as little as $3,000.
