Warehouse owners can always find new ways to save money. It just takes a little bit of thinking outside the box. To get the gears turning, you should read the four smart cost-saving ideas for your warehouse. Incorporate some of these ideas and see if you can add a few of your own.
1. Use Warehouse Slotting
Simply put, warehouse slotting involves the organization of inventory so that every item is easily available to employees. You want to place your most active items in prominent, easy-to-reach locations.
Through a carefully orchestrated organization plan, you can lower the amount of time your employees need to work. If they aren’t wasting hours looking for the correct items, they’ll move more efficiently. The diminished labor time will translate into lower labor costs.
2. Rely on Natural Light
Warehouse owners can spend a tremendous amount of money lighting their spaces. Among the four smart cost-saving ideas for your warehouse, one of the most efficient approaches is to harness the power of natural light. Instead of relying so much on expensive metal halide lamps, warehouse owners should open their spaces and use the light from outside whenever possible. Doing this can lower their electricity bill substantially.
3. Get Automated Guided Vehicles
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are unmanned motorized vehicles that complete the tasks that forklifts often accomplish. Thus, AGVs move materials across the warehouse floor promptly. AGVs have many cost-saving benefits, but their major advantage for warehouse owners is that they lower labor costs. Unlike an employee, you don’t need to pay a salary for an AGV, which means you can invest more of that money into your business.
4. Carry Out Pest Prevention
Don’t underestimate how much damage pests can inflict on warehouses. For instance, a rodent may gnaw on essential cables, or an overabundance of flies might compel your employees to quit. To avoid problems like this, you can take preventative measures as a warehouse owner. This may include installing high-speed doors to ensure entrances don’t let in animals, strip doors to create a semi-physical barrier, or air curtains to seal off entranceways.