Warehouse design and layout

Are you considering a new (green field) or refurbished (brown field) facility?

Are storage capacity constraints affecting your operation’s performance?

Are you questioning whether you really need a new facility or not?

There are a number of important decisions required, or choices available, during the design and layout assessment of a new or refurbished distribution centre or warehouse.

Our specialists have acquired extensive experience in Australia and Europe designing and developing medium and large, conventional and automated facilities containing slow and high velocity products.

An intimate knowledge on facility efficiencies ensures an optimal design and layout which enhances productivity and customer lead-times by reducing the percentage of non value added activities such as travelling.

Developing a demand forecast on the products to be ranged, including other forms of analysis on customer and supplier orders etc, will assist to determine space requirements for all internal areas i.e. storage, receiving, staging and despatch, returns etc.

The primary design and layout focus is to;

  • Eliminate or control the risk to the health and safety of all workplace persons.
  • Build to a height which provides optimal cubic space capacity.
  • Identify the straightest line (efficiency) between areas of product flow.
  • Select materials handling equipment and automation to maximise efficiency.
  • Design an effective storage plan with minimal aisle space and column intrusion.

*Special attention to the compliance of storage and handling and general material flow of dangerous goods is essential during the design and layout development phase.

Our expertise does not finish in the design and layout elements but includes;

  • Fitting-out a facility.
  • Developing a Health and Safety Management Plan and conducting process and site environment risk assessments
  • Developing job process documentation
  • Creating position descriptions
  • Selecting and negotiating materials handling equipment.
  • Developing an Integration Plan – migration of products and assets, decommissioning existing facility, commissioning and stabilising the new facility.
  • Training and educating the workforce on the changes.