Anyone working in a warehouse environment understands that there is much more involved than merely placing items on shelves or racks. A warehouse is a vital part of the supply chain, where numerous activities are carried out to ensure the efficient storage, handling, and distribution of goods. Without a focus on efficiency, the warehouse cannot fulfil its role in maintaining the smooth flow of goods from manufacturers to end customers.
Why Your Warehouse Storage Setup Deserves Attention
Industrial storage systems are central to driving warehouse efficiency. They enable the storage of goods whilst playing a crucial role in optimising warehouse operations. When designed and implemented purposefully, these systems enhance organisation, streamline inventory management, and improve overall productivity. Suitable storage solutions ensure that goods are easily accessible, reduce handling times, and support the smooth movement of products through the warehouse and ultimately through the supply chain.
Recognising Obstructive Storage Problems
If your warehouse operations are becoming less efficient, it might be time to reassess your current storage systems. You might notice slowdowns or blockages in the workflow, a decline in customer satisfaction, and reduced profitability. Even if the cause isn’t obvious at first, these inefficiencies are likely linked to storage problems. To address this, consider examining the following aspects of your operation:
- Accessibility – Is there appropriate inventory access for your operation?
- Capacity – Can you store all materials with ease, without the added effort of searching for available space?
- Organisation – Are items stored in a logical manner that allows for quick and easy retrieval?
- Layout – Is the warehouse layout optimised to minimise travel time and avoid bottlenecks?
- Equipment – Are the structures and machinery used for storage and retrieval functioning properly and efficiently?
- Inventory Management – Are inventory levels and locations accurately tracked to prevent overstocking or stockouts?
- Safety – Are there any storage-related hazards that could lead to accidents or operational delays?
- Flexibility – Can your storage system adapt to changes in inventory size or type to meet evolving operational needs?
Solving some of those complex storage issues
Tackling complex storage challenges can feel daunting, particularly when clear solutions aren’t immediately apparent. The difficulty often lies in pinpointing exactly what is needed to resolve your storage problems. Several factors must be considered, including available space, specific inventory requirements, operational processes, procedures, and budget constraints. Expertise in industrial storage solutions and a tailored design that enhances your specific operation are essential for effective resolution.
This is customised storage solution for reeled products
At WSL, we have an outstanding team of experts, including Technical Designers, Engineers, Project Managers, and Installers, all of whom bring specialised knowledge and experience to every project. Combined, they possess well over 100 years of industry experience. Here are just a few examples of the issues we’ve resolved:
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The deep lane cantilevered refrigeration storage solution
Due to substantial growth, our client needed to reevaluate their operations, which led them to acquire additional warehouse space for storing their large, heavy refrigerator units. Initially, they considered utilising the 2,425.14m² space with a drive-in racking system. However, given the weight of the units, our designer suggested a more robust solution that still preserved the deep lane storage concept of the drive-in racking.
The solution involves cantilever racks with the necessary load capacity to support the heavy units. These racks are arranged in multiple bays, with parallel rows of arms facing inward toward each other. This configuration creates a series of deep storage lanes, allowing forklift trucks to enter and access the furthest bay first, then gradually work outward, resulting in a compact and efficient storage system for the units.
As a manufacturer of custom cantilever racking, WSL was able to create a solution specifically tailored to the client’s exact needs, ensuring both maximum safety and optimal space utilisation.
These images taken at different angles of the deep lane cantilever racking solution
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The tubular cantilever arm storage solution
Our client specialises in enhancing products and packaging with intricate designs using delicate foil materials. These foils, often thin and fragile, are used to create metallised lettering, patterns, and other custom effects. As the business expanded into a larger warehouse to accommodate a wider variety of foils, ensuring proper and secure storage became a top priority. Mishandling or improper storage of these foil rolls could lead to them being crushed, bent, or damaged, making them difficult to unroll smoothly. This could result in tears or wrinkles, rendering the foil unusable.
The challenge was to store large quantities of foil rolls without them encountering each other or other surfaces. Our design team devised an innovative solution using a cantilever racking system. However, the arms of this system are tubular, allowing each foil roll to be securely slotted over an individual arm rather than resting on top. To access rolls stored on higher arms, a FLT equipped with a specialised attachment is used, ensuring easy placement and retrieval.
This system not only maximises storage capacity but also guarantees that each foil roll is stored securely and remains 100% accessible, preventing any potential damage.
These images show the rounded cantilever arms and how the foil wrap rolls are stored on them
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The racking extension solution
Our client, a major food retailer, faced significant inefficiencies in their storage operations due to constrained capacity and a continuously expanding inventory volumes. This situation, typical in high-demand retail environments, often leads to a shortage of pallet locations, resulting in misplaced pallets, extended retrieval times, potential damage, and increased waste. Recognising the urgent need to expand their racking system, the client encountered a challenge: the components of their existing racking system had recently become obsolete, complicating any straightforward expansion.
To overcome this, the WSL team devised an innovative solution. We strategically dismantled select sections of the current racking system, repurposing those components to extend the racking both vertically and horizontally. This allowed us to maximise the available storage space using existing resources. The dismantled rows were then replaced with new components sourced from a different manufacturer, carefully selected to integrate seamlessly with the existing infrastructure. This approach not only resolved the storage limitations but also ensured that the solution was both cost-effective and sustainable, minimising disruption to the client’s operations.
Images show the extended areas of racks during the project
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The gravity roller goods-in solution
When over twenty-five pallets arrive in a single delivery, it can create significant challenges, such as congestion in the goods-in area, leading to bottlenecks and delays. The unloading process becomes particularly time-consuming if the warehouse lacks sufficient equipment or personnel to manage the large volume efficiently.
Seeking a solution, our client turned to WSL. Our team developed an innovative approach based on a pallet live racking system. We implemented a deep lane roller mechanism to create a floor-level pallet conveyor system at the entrance of the goods-in area. Pallets are unloaded directly from the HGV onto the rollers, where they move smoothly toward the opposite side of the building.
Once they reach the picking face, operators retrieve the pallets and transport them to their designated storage locations deeper within the warehouse. The pallets remain organised and aligned in single file on the conveyor until they are retrieved, with multiple lanes ensuring sufficient capacity for incoming deliveries.
Here you can see how the roller conveyor is positioned close to the goods-in entrance
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The walkover solution
In our client’s bustling warehouse, where multiple tightly packed conveyor systems operate, improving foot access for employees became a key priority. The solution? A mesh walkover, This is a specialised flooring system that allows workers to walk safely above conveyor belts and other equipment without interrupting the workflow.
Constructed from durable, high-strength metal mesh with sturdy rails to prevent falls, this customised walkover was designed and manufactured by our team, including the access staircase. It provides safe access across areas where conveyors, automated systems, and other equipment are continuously running. The mesh design not only offers clear visibility below which is crucial for monitoring operations and quickly spotting any items that might get stuck or damaged, it also ensures proper ventilation, helping to prevent heat buildup around machinery.
In a warehouse where every inch of space is valuable, this solution maximises usable floor space by allowing safe passage over operational areas. By installing these walkovers, our client can maintain high productivity levels while ensuring the safety of workers and enabling efficient movement throughout the facility.
Images showing the walkover above conveyors
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The P&Ds Solution
Our client sought a pallet racking system that could provide both high-density storage and 100% selectivity. Given the ample ceiling height of the new space intended for an order fulfilment centre, the Very Narrow Aisle Racking (VNA) system emerged as the ideal choice. However, its primary limitation was a potential slowdown in operational speed, especially during peak periods. While the VNA FLT operates quickly and efficiently within its designated aisles, it loses its wired guidance outside these aisles, leading to slower movement beyond the racks.
To address this challenge, our client needed a solution that ensured fast and efficient transportation beyond the racks. A standard counterbalance truck, though capable, is too wide to navigate between the racks for pallet placement and retrieval. The solution came in the form of Pick and Deposit stations (P&Ds). These cantilevered-style pallet shelves, designed and manufactured by the WSL team, were installed at the ends of the racks, accessible to both the VNA truck and the counterbalance truck.
The P&Ds serve as exchange points, where pallets are placed by the counterbalance truck and picked up by the VNA truck, and vice versa. This system allows both types of trucks to operate in their optimal zones, ensuring a consistently fast and efficient operation.
Images of P&Ds attached to the end of the racks
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The Multi-Tier, Dual-Functional Mezzanine Floor Solution
When a prominent and rapidly expanding clothing retailer acquired a new distribution centre to support their significant growth, they sought to ensure the space was fully optimised for efficiency and productivity. The goal was to transform the 80,145 sq. ft facility into a highly active hub, capable of handling a wide range of distribution activities.
To achieve this, WSL provided a sophisticated multi-tier mezzanine floor solution, significantly enhancing the building’s usable footprint. The installation added an impressive 72,656 sq. ft of additional floor space, bringing the total usable area to 152,801 sq. ft.
The mezzanine floor levels were designed to support critical operations, including inventory storage, as well as dedicated picking and packing areas. These areas were equipped with goods chutes, enabling the swift transportation of products to lower levels, thereby streamlining workflow and improving operational efficiency.
Beyond its logistical functions, the mezzanine was also configured to accommodate essential staff facilities. This included meeting rooms, offices, canteens, locker rooms, and WCs, all integrated seamlessly into the design. This dual-functional mezzanine approach not only maximised space but also enhanced the overall working environment for staff, contributing to the efficiency and success of the distribution centre.
Images of some of the different functional areas of the multi tier mezzanine
Could WSL Solve Your Complex Storage Problem?
In any successful warehouse operation, efficient storage solutions are crucial to maintaining smooth operations and maximising productivity. As a specialist with 35 years of experience in industrial storage solutions, combined with extensive manufacturing capabilities, WSL understand the unique challenges that each operation faces. Whether it’s optimising space, ensuring quick access to materials, or maintaining safety standards, finding the perfect storage solution can be challenging without the knowledge and expertise of the WSL team.
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We Tailor Solutions for Unique Challenges
Every business has its own specific storage needs, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why we focus on designing bespoke storage solutions tailored to the unique requirements of each operation. By conducting thorough assessments and understanding your workflow, our Technical Design team create storage systems that enhance efficiency and organisation.
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Our Expertise Spans Multiple Industries
Our extensive experience spans across various industries, from warehousing and logistics to manufacturing and retail. This diverse background enables us to apply best practices and innovative strategies to tackle even the most intricate storage problems. Whether you need to store large volumes of inventory, manage hazardous materials, or accommodate oversized items, our team have the expertise to develop solutions that meet your demands.
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We Have Advanced Manufacturing Capabilities
Combining design expertise with advanced manufacturing capabilities allows our team to deliver high-quality, durable storage solutions. Utilising the best technology, machinery and materials, we ensure that each system is built to withstand the rigors of industrial use. From robust cantilever racks, warehouse safety ancillaries, to mezzanine structures, every product is crafted with precision and attention to detail.
WSL Fabricator welding mezzanine floor components
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Maximising Space and Efficiency is our Priority
One of the biggest challenges in industrial storage is maximising space. Inefficient storage can lead to wasted time, increased labour costs, and potential safety hazards. By implementing space-saving designs and optimising layout configurations, we help businesses make the most of their available space. This not only improves accessibility but also enhances overall operational efficiency.
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We Promise Unwavering Commitment to Safety and Compliance
Safety is paramount in any industrial setting, which is why WSL became a Full SEMA Member in 2017 and holds UKCA certification for our manufactured products. Our storage solutions are meticulously designed with safety and compliance at the forefront, ensuring that all systems adhere to relevant regulations and standards. This includes thorough considerations for load-bearing capacities, fire safety, and access. By making safety a top priority, we help create a secure environment for both your employees and assets.
The WSL team collaborating to solve a storage issue
Ready to Solve Your Storage Challenges?
If you’re facing a complex storage problem, don’t settle for off-the-shelf solutions that only partially address your needs. With our extensive experience, manufacturing capabilities, and commitment to bespoke designs, we can help you find the precise solution that will streamline your operations and enhance productivity.
Contact WSL today to discuss your specific storage requirements and discover how a custom-designed solution can transform your business, turning your storage challenges into opportunities for growth and efficiency.
Call us: 0113 2045350
Email us: sales@wslmail.co.uk