FIFO Warehouse Layout – Incidentals and Other Issues

07 Feb FIFO Warehouse Layout – Incidentals and Other Issues

What about the overall design of the warehouse?

The first thing you want to think about when you are considering a first in first out warehouse layout is the overall design. Of course, that is a very easy thing to say, but, is not an easy thing to put into practice. The idea of FIFO is easy to understand. However, it is hard to implement in a usable fashion. It is difficult if you do not know the tools required to do so. There is a disconnect between a customer and a company. It is because they may be using two different types of language for the same item. For example, it is very common for someone to look for industrial shelving but not find it because it is called pallet racking in the material handling industry. The same thing is true here. It is difficult to design a warehouse when you do not know what to call the shelving units. In addition, it is hard to purchase anything without the name of the particular item. It would be the same as trying to order your favorite food in a restaurant overseas. However, you do not speak the language native to the area. You know what it is but you do not know the name of the food in that particular language.

“There is a disconnect between a customer and a company. It is because they may be using two different types of language for the same item. For example, it is very common for someone to look for industrial shelving but not find it because it is called pallet racking in the material handling industry.”

What is the fix for this?

The fix for this is to work with somebody who does understand all of the terminologies of the industry that you need. Why? Not only do they know the names of things in the industry. Moreover, they also have a good idea of the permitting required to use those pieces of equipment in your business. The fact is that many places require permits for things like industrial shelving or pallet racks. There is a lot that has to do with seismic testing and seismic calculations that are going to be different for every area. It is why an experienced reputable company is important. You can work with companies who do not have experience or who lack the knowledge of the permitting process. The permitting process then the inspection may go badly for you. It if will go badly if you do work with a company that lacks knowledge. You will have to remove all your products from the industrial shelving. Subsequently, it will force you to store that particular piece of equipment somewhere. You will also have to store the product that was on that pallet rack. Therefore, you have two problems. The first being having to only find a place to store the product. The second being you have to find a place to store the pallet rack.

Will selling the rack solve the problem?

You could try and sell it but, since it had a problem with the permitting, then it is highly likely that someone else will have a problem with the allocation of a permit if they bought it. Avoiding this is relatively simple. Work with a reputable company and you will not have problems. However, it needs to be a company that understands the permitting process. The kind of company that we are talking about here will use pallet racks that have seismic testing and/or seismic calculations done on them so that the permitting process is nearly seamless.

Mobile carts for a FIFO based warehouse

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you are interested in a FIFO warehouse layout then you are highly likely running a food-based business. It means that you probably need a mobile shelving unit in order to transfer all your food to another area. Of course, this assumes that you are doing the preparation of food in your facility. If you are not then you are looking at a pallet jack or a forklift to move your product around. Notwithstanding, most facilities could do with a few good mobile shelving racks that do not feel like they are going to break at any moment. The good news is that you can find both of these in the same place if you are dealing with a reputable company. It is the best part of working with a company that knows what they are doing because they will know all the little incidental items that you will need in your business because they have seen it all before.

If you are looking for a company that can help you get your FIFO warehouse layout done then you should consider getting a warehouse CAD layout. It will help you think about what you need in your business before you need it. We can definitely help you with that and you can talk to us by calling us. You will find the number in the footer.